Boys Before Flowers: How It Should Have Ended Part3 (The Return)
by cutestuff024
Summary: Jun Pyo is back in Seoul and is finally ready to face Jan Di after she chose to be with Ji Hoo. Are they ready to face each other? Part3 of my "How It Should Have Ended" (HISHE) short story series. If this is your first time reading my work, please go & read Part1 (A Ji Hoo and Jan Di story) & Part2 (The Continuation) first as I just continue the story on. P.S. I ship JanHoo.
1. Prologue

_From the author's desk:_

_This is the __**third**__ part of my "How It Should Have Ended" (HISHE) short story series. If this is your first time reading my work, please go and read __Part 1__ (A Ji __Hoo__ and Jan Di story) and __Part 2 __(The Continuation) first as I just continue the story on. (You can find those by clicking on my name and then my stories)._

_I made a promise to someone I would write this story for them so here it is._

_I hope you guys like it though! Take care and please leave a review! _

_~cutestuff024_

_#__givingJiHooAHappyEnding__ #__janhoo__ #__jandi__ #__jihoo__ #__soeul__ #__woobin__ #__gaeul__ #__yijung__ #__junpyo_

**PROLOGUE:**

La Yeon, the first Korean restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars, was located on the 23rd floor of the uber-posh Shilla hotel in Seoul. It was a very upscale restaurant, rumored to make its customers feel like they're eating Korean royalty food. Jan Di stepped out of the elevator, mouth gaping wide open in wonder. The view was spectacular. The city spread out like a postcard before her, and the desire to take her phone out and snap a picture of it was almost too much for Jan Di to bear. But she held back. She did not want to stand out at a place like this. To seem as though she'd never been here before (which was true, but that was beside the point).

"Wow." Was all she could say.

A waitress approached her to confirm her reservation, and she meekly followed the waitress to an elegantly decked out table set for two right beside the window. Her eyes refused to leave the view before her, but she forced herself to look around. She had never been to this restaurant before, because she'd never been able to afford it. Ji Hoo had asked her several times if she wanted to come try their food, but she had politely declined as she wasn't sure she'd feel comfortable at a place like this.

She was right.

Looking around at the other customers, she felt a little out of place. They were all very well dressed – some in full business attire (that looked like they cost several thousand dollars), while a few women were even wearing fancy dresses. There was a woman two tables away from her that wore a leopard printed dress with matching shoes and a matching purse. Her eyes widened as she tried to guess how much the woman's entire outfit cost.

She looked at her watch. _12:30._

They had agreed to meet for lunch instead of dinner because it would feel less hectic. They would have time to talk, and it wouldn't be as busy. She had taken the day off from the hospital, (which wasn't an easy thing to do considering it was quite last-minute), but she felt that this was something she needed to do. It was important for both of them to have this time together.

Jan Di appraised herself. She wore a simple grey dress that went just slightly above her knees, with black tights and a pair of black ankle boots. She was afraid she'd overdressed for lunch, but now she felt underdressed. She shrank lower in her seat.

She glanced at her watch again. _12:40_.

"Something to drink while you wait?" The waitress, smiling politely at her, asked.

"I'll just have water for now, thank you."

She looked at her sweaty palms. Was she nervous? She hastily wiped her palms on her dress as the waitress brought out a glass of water.

"Would you like to look at a menu while you wait?" The waitress asked, her tone friendly.

Jan Di nodded absentmindedly as she glanced at her watch._ 12:50_.

_Really?_ _Are you really going to make me wait?_

She felt edgier and edgier the more the minutes ticked by. She took her glass and started drinking while glancing at the menu. She almost spat the water out as her eyes registered the prices.

_More than 100,000 won per person for lunch! What in the world are we eating? Gold? _

She shook her head in disbelief. She would have to have a chat with Ji Hoo about this. She knew his kind could afford it, so they wouldn't even bat an eye. But still, she couldn't help but think of how much 100,000 would get her aside from lunch. Even though he kept saying it would be 'their' money soon, she didn't think she could just sit and have lunch here every day. Or once a week. Or ever. Again.

She would be just as happy (and just as full) eating fish sticks from a street vendor.

_Ji __Hoo__._

In spite of her sudden mental outburst, she found herself smiling at the thought of him. How far had he come since they first met? Over the years, he had come out of his comfort zone little by little. There were days when he was even chattier than her. He was showing a wide range of emotions now and maybe even becoming a little more... social. Huge crowds and attention still bothered him, though he dared not admit it to anyone. But she could tell. They could read each other like an open book by now.

Two months until their wedding. The thought excited her more than she ever thought possible. Due to their busy schedules, they had hired a wedding planner, but it was up to Jan Di to dictate exactly how she wanted her wedding to be. (With the enthusiastic help of her best friend Ga Eul, of course.) They weren't going to have a huge wedding – which Ji Hoo was extremely relieved about – and if it wasn't for her mother, they probably would have settled to just have their families and closest friends at a small ceremony on the beach. But she was their only daughter, and her mother had bragged to her friends (and anyone who would listen, really) that her daughter was marrying an heir. "He's the best looking of the bunch," she would add, showing them Ji Hoo's picture, while everyone oohed and aahed in envy. "And did I mention he's also a pediatrician at the University hospital?" Her mother was practically bursting with pride. And when people asked her mother how a simple, ordinary girl like Jan Di was able to 'snag' a catch like Ji Hoo, her mother would raise her chin up proudly and say, "My daughter's a doctor there too. AND she got MY good looks to help her out." It embarrassed her at times but Ji Hoo found it mildly amusing, (as long as he wasn't actually there when her mother did this). So now they were going to have a 'real' wedding, with slightly more people than she had anticipated.

She didn't realize she was twisting the rings he gave her with a dreamy look on her face. _Two more months and you're mine for good._

An image of Ji Hoo smiling popped into her head.

Her thoughts drifted to him again. She thought about how, when he smiles at her, his whole face lights up and she could see, _actually see_, his joy from the inside out. Or when he holds her hand, either while he's driving, or when they're walking, he always gave it a little squeeze before he let go. To assure her that it was temporary. That he was reluctant to let go.

And when he kisses her...

She closed her eyes and a soft, sly smile spread onto her face.

Jan Di shook her head, sternly reprimanding herself. This was neither the time nor the place for her to think about stuff like that. _Maybe later_...

_1:00. _

She was starting to think she had been stood up when a movement by the entrance caught her eye. She was so startled to see him that she almost knocked the glass off the table. Luckily, she caught it in time.

He stood there, tall and proud, wearing a black business suit and a frown on his face. He was talking to the waitress.

For a moment, Jan Di considered ducking under the table and hiding. Maybe, just maybe, she could sneak out through the back door? Was there even a back door? She glanced around, panicking.

The waitress gestured to her table, and then their eyes met. His frown disappeared, and his face became expressionless.

Too late. He had seen her. There was no escaping now.

"Gu Jun Pyo." She mouthed, as he walked towards their table.

...


	2. Chapter 1

"_No man is worth your tears, and the one who is...won't make you cry." - __Dwight D. Eisenhower_

**Chapter 1**

The light in the backstage room shone too bright for Ji Hoo's eyes. He sat down and decided to stare at the dark blue carpet that adorned the floor instead, but his mind was somewhere else. He was extremely nervous. He was always nervous before a performance, of course, but this time felt... different. This was the first time he was performing in over 6 months. He had practiced hard the last two months, and he was as prepared as he could be, but it did little to calm his frantic nerves.

_Calm down, Ji __Hoo__. _

_Breathe. _

_In. _

_Out._

_In. _

_Out. _

All around him he could see the other orchestra performers practicing with their chosen instruments. Some looked as nervous as he was, while others looked calm and focused. He went to each group of musicians and thanked each of them for their hard work, and they, in turn, thanked him for his leadership.

He wondered if Jan Di and the others had arrived and were seated out in the theatre. Would he be able to spot them from the stage? He wanted to buy them seats right on the first row, but Jan Di suggested it might not be a good idea for them to be so close. He needed to focus and not be distracted by them. She had a good point, so he relented. She informed him that Yi Jung bought them tickets as close to the front as he deemed appropriate. He wondered what Yi Jung deemed a safe distance.

Truth be told, there was no safe distance from Yi Jung...

"I think we have a sold-out theatre," one of the musicians - a tall, skinny guy who played the violin, announced as he peeked from behind the curtains.

Ji Hoo stood up as he mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do.

_You can do this_.

His phone beeped.

It was a message from Jan Di. He hadn't seen her all day, but she promised to come to his concert as soon as she got off work. Was she there already?

"_Don't be nervous. You got this. We're all cheering for you! Fighting!_"

A smile appeared on his face. She must be in the theatre already.

Another beep.

He looked at the message, his face all lit up, but it was quickly replaced by a frown.

Because this time, the message was from Yi Jung.

"_I'll lend you my new sportscar for a week if you guys perform Bohemian Rhapsody_." The text said. "_If you sing the whole thing, I'll add another week!_"

Ji Hoo chuckled quietly, shaking his head.

Another beep.

"_Please, please, please?"_

Ji Hoo rolled his eyes. Yi Jung did not know when to give up. Ever since he found out about the concert, he'd been requesting songs to add to their performance.

He missed performing. Music was a part of who he was. It was an extension of his whole being. It was the one thing that got him through the worst times of his life. Of course, he still played his instruments regularly. But the rush he felt during and after a performance...it was almost euphoric. It was probably the only time he didn't mind being in front of a large audience – and being the center of attention.

"It's time, everyone!" Someone called out, as everyone got ready to face the audience.

"Hey, good luck out there," another musician – a cute, cheerful girl who played the cello, called out to him before she stepped out on to the stage.

Ji Hoo glanced quickly at the mirror. He was dressed in a 3-piece single breasted tailcoat suit – the jacket, vest and pants and even the collared shirt he wore underneath were all white. He had a blue checkered tie and peak lapel that matched perfectly. He looked quite immaculate, as usual. His copper colored hair was sleeked back to one side.

He looked at the band he wore on his ring finger and gave it a quick kiss for luck.

_Breathe,_ he kept telling himself, as he stepped out on to the stage.

The applause that met him was loud, and did nothing to stop the frantic hammering in his chest. He walked slowly, methodically, to his spot, all the while scanning the crowd for the one face that mattered. The one he was looking for.

Someone once asked him how he knew he was in love. He couldn't answer it then because he didn't know how to describe how he felt. He couldn't put it into words. It was just something he _knew_. But as he scanned the room, his mind began to form the words that escaped him before.

_You know you're in love when your eyes search the crowd for that one person - that one face among hundreds. Your eyes won't stop searching until you find the __one__ you're looking for. And when you finally find that face – and they're looking at you, and only you... that's when you know everything's going to be just right. You can finally breathe easily and relax. Because just by them being there, for you, means that everything is already perfect. Nothing could possibly go wrong. _

She smiled at him and put a fist up, mouthing "Fighting!" and he couldn't help but smile back as he arrived at his designated spot. Then he faced the orchestra and they began to play.

...

The applause was deafening. Ji Hoo humbly bowed as he faced the audience. There was a lineup of people waiting to congratulate him. He was exhausted, but he acknowledged and thanked each and every one of them. Finally, the crowd slowly began to dissipate. He looked around and found his friends still sitting on their row. They all got up and started walking towards him.

"You still got it in you, huh?" Woo Bin clapped him on the back.

"I can't believe you didn't do Bohemian Rhapsody. After all the begging I did!" Yi Jung complained, as he approached Ji Hoo with Ga Eul in tow.

Ga Eul rolled her eyes at Yi Jung before she turned to face him. "Is there anything you're bad at?"

"That was amazing!" Hye Jin exclaimed, a look of pure admiration plastered on her face. "This was my first orchestra and it was just amazing!"

Jan Di stood a few steps back from the rest of the group. He walked slowly towards her, smiling.

"So, what did you think?" He asked, hopefully.

She made a face, pretending to be deep in thought. "Well, let's see... you started out a little shaky, but got better as you went on..."

His eyes widened in shock. "Really? You noticed?"

She let out a small laugh. "I'm kidding!" She leaned closer to him and held his hand. "It was perfect!" Then, her voice a little softer she added, "Just like you."

His smiled widened, as he stared at her. For a minute everyone else vanished and there was just the two of them. He leaned closer, intending to give her a quick kiss...

"I can't wait for you two to get to that part in your relationship where you argue and fight," Yi Jung interrupted.

Ga Eul glared at him. "See, just like that," he added, pointing to Ga Eul. "I get more glares from her than from the sun!"

"Way to ruin the moment," Woo Bin chuckled.

"One day," Ji Hoo laughed. "I'll get even with you one day."

"Anyway, I'm hungry." Yi Jung declared, ignoring his empty threat. "Let's go somewhere to eat. Somewhere expensive." He pointed his chin at Woo Bin. "Woo Bin said he's buying dinner."

Woo Bin's brows shot up. "I'm buying dinner?"

"There, he said it again!" Yi Jung chuckled, as he walked towards the exit holding Ga Eul's hand.

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo exchanged an incredulous look.

"Can you believe that guy?" Woo Bin asked rhetorically, as Hye Jin hooked her arm around his.

"Actually, I can." Ji Hoo replied, holding Jan Di's hand as they walked out the door.

…

It was late by the time Jan Di got home from dinner. The light was on in the living room, and she assumed they had just left it on for her. She stepped in as quietly as she could, afraid to wake her sleeping family.

"Well, it's about time you got home!" Kang San called out.

Jan Di almost jumped out of her skin.

"What are you doing still up?" She hadn't seen her little brother much. He had been busy with school, and she had been busy with work and wedding preparations. Looking at her brother, she noted that he was almost as tall as she was, maybe even taller now. He had also grown into quite a handsome young man. _He's going to be breaking some hearts, this one._

Kang San made the saddest face he could muster. "I need your help, sis. It's for school. I'm afraid I might fail a class."

Jan Di's heart softened. She knew a thing or two about failing classes. The thing was, though, Kang San was supposed to be the smart one between them. Hearing him struggling through a class made her worry.

"Of course. How can I help?"

Kang San brought out several sheets of paper. Each one had a colorful design drawn on it. "I have this group project at school. We're supposed to design a shirt, you see. There are preliminaries where other students have to vote for the best design. And then we're supposed to sell them. There's a competition, even. Whoever can sell the most wins top prize."

Jan Di wasn't sure where she fit into this, but she nodded encouragingly. "What's the prize?"

"Just some money. But the top prize also gets an automatic "A" in class."

She looked over the drawings he had created. It looked like crudely drawn cartoon animals. There was a panda and a penguin, even a cat.

"So... what's the problem?"

"I had a couple of sample shirts printed – but we haven't gotten a single vote or order."

"Let's see them."

He brought out the shirts, and Jan Di tried to stifle a laugh. They were bright colored – as in, neon-bright. One shirt had half a panda on it, the other half was on the matching shirt. Below each image was an arrow that pointed to the left or right, with the words "His" or "Hers" printed on it.

"It's supposed to be worn by couples, you know." Kang San explained, face all serious. He picked up the neon green one with the panda on it. "See, if they wore it at the same time, and walk beside each other in the right order, the panda is whole. Cute, right?"

She bit her lower lip, trying hard not to say anything negative lest she hurt his feelings. Cute was definitely not how she would describe it. "So...how can I help?"

She knew she said the wrong thing when she saw Kang San's face light up.

_Did I just walk into a trap?_

"Well, I figured the best way to get people to buy it is with good advertising. And the best advertisement would be..." He looked at her, eyes pleading.

Jan Di shook her head furiously. "Oh no. No, no, no! You want me and _Ji __Hoo_ to wear_ this_?"

Kang San's face fell. He lowered his head. "I thought you'd help me out."

Jan Di paused, thinking it over carefully. Kang San hadn't really asked her for anything lately. No, scratch that. She couldn't even remember the last time he asked her for a favor. She winced, as she examined the shirts closely. Could she see Ji Hoo wearing one?

"How long do we have to wear it for?"

Kang San's face lit up again. "Well, we're having fashion week at school in a few weeks – and if you guys wore it then, everyone on campus is sure to buy one!"

"I don't know, Kang San. I'm not sure Ji Hoo would wear one. He's not really... he doesn't really wear t-shirts."

Kang San gave her an Are-You-Kidding-Me look. "He would wear a sack of potatoes if you asked him to."

Jan Di scowled at her brother. "I'm not sure about that. Fashion is something Ji Hoo is good at. I would never tell him what to wear."

Kang San knelt in front of her. Jan Di took a step back, surprised.

"Please, noona?" His eyes were big and round, and desperate.

Jan Di exhaled loudly. "Fine, fine. I'll talk to him." A thought popped in her head. "Although he might just offer to buy out all your shirts to avoid wearing one."

"Um... actually, he can't do that. And you can't tell him what's it about. Just pretend you want to wear a couple shirt."

"Say what?"

"I'll get disqualified. I need to play fair." He frowned. "Besides, my classmates are watching me like a hawk. If they find out I'm cheating, I'll be done for." He looked away from her, cheeks turning a little red. "And I kind of bragged to my classmates that I could... you know... get one of the F4 to willingly wear one."

"Oh, Kang San..." Jan Di began, not sure how to continue. She saw his shoulders hunch a little. "Who's in your group?"

"Min Kyu and Joo Won." Kang San gave her a nervous smile. Those two guys were quite popular on campus – Jan Di had heard Kang San mention them a few times. Kang San must have been convincing enough for them to join his group. "No one believes that I know the F4. They think I'm making it up. My group mates are counting on me to win this competition." He looked up at her, eyes full of hope, hands clasped as if in prayer. "Please? Please, my beautiful and smart noona?"

Jan Di rolled her eyes. "Flattery will get you nowhere." When Kang San kept looking at her with puppy-dog eyes, she couldn't help but give in. "Fine, fine. I won't tell him. I'll get him to wear the shirt... somehow."

Kang San stood up and hugged her tightly. This surprised her even more than when he knelt in front of her. This class must mean a lot to him. She told herself she couldn't let him fail.

Now what would it take for Ji Hoo to wear one? Could it be as easy as telling him she wanted to dress as a couple for a day?

_I'm going to regret this somehow, aren't I?_

….


	3. Chapter 2

"_I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once." _\- John Green

**Chapter 2 **

Jan Di woke up bright and early and got dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt and black running tights.

She stifled a yawn as she poured herself a hot cup of coffee. Glancing at her watch, she noted the time. It was 6 am. The sky was still dark outside. Everyone in her house was still fast asleep.

Her phone beeped.

Quickly, she gulped the last of her coffee and ran outside.

Ji Hoo stood there, leaning on his bike, all dressed up in his usual running gear. He was staring at her as she walked towards him, a sly smile on his serene face. Every time he looked at her like this Jan Di always found her cheeks, neck and ears become unexpectedly warm, and butterflies suddenly seem to appear in her stomach. She broke eye contact with him long enough to let her stomach settle, fanning herself with her hands as she did so.

"You okay?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"Yeah, it's just a little warm here, don't you think?"

Ji Hoo looked quizzically at her. "Actually, I thought you'd be cold so I brought you a light jacket."

Jan Di just noticed he was holding something white in his hands. He quickly tucked it into the backpack that hung on his bike.

"Ready?" He asked, handing her a bottle of water.

She nodded, still half asleep. She heard him chuckle.

"Am I going to have to carry you halfway again?"

She shook her head. "I'm awake." She opened her eyes as wide as she could, then sighed. "But my brain is still asleep." She frowned. "Why can't morning come later in the day?"

He chuckled again. "Come on. You'll feel better once we get moving."

They did a few stretches before starting their slow, steady jog from her place onto the park they frequented.

Two weeks ago they both decided to jog together every morning (that their work schedule allowed), and start the day together. Ji Hoo always drove or rode his bike to her place to meet, and then they would go off from there. Oftentimes they would jog to the park and back. Sometimes, they would go even farther. It depended on how much time they had to spare.

A few of her friends had asked her why they just didn't move in together.

They had _technically_ lived together before. But this time was different. They were a couple now. And not just a regular couple, they were engaged. She had asked Ji Hoo what he thought of it. Not wanting to sound too forward, she told him she could always stay in the spare room until their wedding day, so he wouldn't have to drive to her place all the time. He had laughed amusedly at this suggestion.

"Jan Di yah," he said, smiling. "Do you know what that would do to me? To have you so close? It would be too much of a temptation. I don't know if I could handle it."

She turned away, face all red.

He stood in front of her and looked deep into her eyes. "Jan Di, when I went to ask for your dad's blessing, he made me promise one thing."

She looked back at him.

"I gave him my word that we'd wait."

This revelation didn't surprise her. Her father had always been protective of her, no matter how old she got. She was his only daughter, and he told her in his eyes she would always be his little girl. Her father also wanted to make sure she was certain who she wanted to be with this time. She couldn't blame him. For the longest time everyone was certain she was going to marry Jun Pyo. And now, she was marrying Ji Hoo.

If it was up to her mother though, she'd have packed Jan Di's bags and moved Jan Di into Ji Hoo's house herself as soon as they announced their engagement.

"And you're... okay with waiting?" She had asked, hesitantly.

"I waited over 7 years just for you to realize you love me too. I think I can wait a few months, don't you think?"

Her body relaxed and she beamed at him. "It is coming up soon, isn't it?"

He took her hand and laced their fingers together. "Yes." A sly grin appeared on his face. "Get ready, though. Because in a few months, I won't be holding back." He winked at her.

Her whole body flushed as she realized what he implied.

"Jan Di?"

Ji Hoo's voice interrupted her daydreaming. She shook her head, trying to come back to the present.

"We should head back. Your shift starts soon." He took out a small, white towel and handed it to her. She quickly wiped the beads of sweat on her face. "I have to fly to Jeju Island for a conference today, but I'll be back later tonight."

They jogged side by side all the way back to her house, passing by a teenage couple dressed exactly alike from head to toe. If it wasn't for the girl's waist-length hair that stuck out from under her baseball cap, Jan Di wouldn't have been able to tell who the girl was. _They look like twins!_

Jan Di suddenly remembered Kang San's request. She looked at Ji Hoo uncertainly, unsure of how to breach the subject.

"Ji Hoo?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of that couple? Don't they look... umm... cute?" She asked, pointing at the matchy-matchy couple.

He gave a short laugh. "I guess if you like that sort of thing."

_Oh, that's not a good sign. _Jan Di thought.

"Would you ever wear something like... that?" She winced as she asked him. She thought of the neon shirts.

"I think we're too old to wear things like that, don't you think?"

She thought about her words carefully. "What if... I wanted us to wear matching shirts just for a day?"

He cocked his head to the side and eyed her suspiciously. "Why would you want that?"

"To... umm... show the world we're a couple?"

His face showed slight amusement. He took her hand and tapped the rings on their fingers. "I think these already show that, don't you?"

He had a point. Jan Di bit her lower lip.

_Now what?_

As soon as they reached her house, Ji Hoo took a brown paper bag out of his backpack and handed it to her.

"Breakfast," he said.

Jan Di took the bag but her thoughts were somewhere else. She stood there, forehead creased, wondering how to get Ji Hoo to wear the shirt. She didn't realize she was still looking in the direction of the teenage couple. Ji Hoo followed her eyes and understood.

"Tell you what," he said, as a grin appeared on his face, "if you can get Yi Jung to wear a couple shirt with Ga Eul, I'll wear one with you."

Her face lit up. "Really? You mean that?"

His grin widened even more. "When have I ever broken a promise?"

He gave her a look that made her knees all wobbly, then leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips.

Jan Di closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, for a moment forgetting they were standing in the middle of the street.

A group of students emerged from the corner of the street, chatting loudly on their way to school.

Jan Di and Ji Hoo broke apart so quickly it was as if someone had dropped a piece of hot coal between them. Jan Di knew she must be redder than an overripe tomato.

Ji Hoo gave her a sheepish grin. "I'll call you later today. Have a good day at work."

She watched him as he rode off, clutching the breakfast bag he had given. Her eyes landed on the teenage couple again and pulled her out of her dreamy stupor. She remembered what Ji Hoo said.

_Great, _she thought. All she had to do was get Yi Jung sunbae to wear one! How hard could _that_ be, right?

…

The day was long and tiring. They had been ridiculously busy at the clinic - in fact, they had been so busy she didn't even notice she had skipped lunch AND dinner. She collapsed on her bed as soon as she got home. She was way too tired to eat.

She had several missed calls from Ji Hoo on her phone. She didn't even get a chance to talk to him. She forced herself to sit up on the bed and turned on her tv. She asked him to call her after she got home from work. Not wanting to fall asleep and miss his call again, she began flipping through the channels, but all she saw were commercials of food.

She groaned. It was like it was teasing her.

Her stomach growled.

She went to the kitchen and tried to look for something to eat. The fridge was empty. Well, except for the half a jar of Kimchi that sat on the bottom shelf. But she wasn't about to sit there and fill her empty stomach with Kimchi. Who knows what kind of havoc she would wake up to tomorrow?

She opened the cupboards and gave a disappointed sigh. Not even a single packet of ramyeon. She'd have to go grocery shopping soon, she noted.

_Kang San must have gone through the fridge and pantry again_, she lamented. Her brother was growing like a weed, and eating them out of house and home.

She got back into her room just in time to hear her phone ring.

"Hey," she greeted.

"You sound tired," Ji Hoo noticed.

"One of the interns didn't show up today, so we were short staffed."

"Did you eat yet?"

"No. I haven't had time." She scowled. "And all these commercials about food on tv are not helping either."

She heard him laugh.

"Kang San cleaned up the fridge, and I'm way too tired to cook."

"What do you feel like eating?" He asked. She heard some rustling of papers. He must be finishing up some paperwork.

"Right now, I could probably eat a horse."

"So, I need to keep Rui away from you when you're hungry?"

She laughed. A picture of tteokbokki flashed on the screen, along with some other Korean dishes. Jan Di's mouth began to salivate. "I'd kill for a tteokbokki, or even gimbap, or soondae." She laid down on her bed. "How was your day?"

He told her about the conference – and about the people he met there. He was supposed to be back in Seoul that night, but the conference went over time, and he had missed his flight back. He would be back early the next morning. They chatted for almost half an hour, and she was surprised she was able to stay awake that long.

As soon as she hung up the phone, she heard a knock on her front door.

_Who could be knocking at this hour? _She thought, puzzled.

She walked hesitantly towards the front door. Her parents and brother were fast asleep – she could hear snoring coming out of their rooms. She peeked through the hole but saw no one. Opening the door slowly, she looked outside. There was a small takeout bag on her front door. She picked it up, cautiously examining the contents. Inside was a container of tteokbokki, a box full of gimbap, and another container full of soondae. A receipt was stuck to one of the boxes. It was from her favorite restaurant just around the corner.

_What in the world?_

Her phone beeped. A lopsided smile appeared on her face as she read Ji Hoo's message.

"_Eat. Don't go to bed hungry. I'll see you tomorrow._"

Then another beep.

"_Saranghae__, My Geum Jan Di._"

...


	4. Chapter 3

"_You'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut." _\- Dr. Seuss

**Chapter 3: **

A loud knock on his door woke Jun Pyo up from his deep slumber. He tried ignoring it, but the knocking would not stop.

Annoyed, he got up, shuffled half-asleep to the door and looked through the keyhole.

He groaned.

"Go away," he said, then turned to head back to his room.

"Are you still asleep? The day is half over!" A cheery voice called out from the other side.

Just as he reached his bedroom door, the front door opened.

He turned around, scowling. "If you knew my passcode and were going to use it anyway, why the heck did you even knock? You woke me up!"

Jae Kyung flashed her pearly whites at him. "Exactly."

"I should really change my passcode," he muttered, loud enough for her to hear.

"You said that six months ago."

"Well, this time I'm really going to do it!"

"Of course you are," she said, sounding unconvinced.

"Aish," Jun Pyo started walking towards the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water from his fridge and plopped himself on the couch. He twisted the cap open and took several big gulps. Crossing his arms in front of him, he narrowed his eyes at her. "This better be important."

Jae Kyung sat across from him, unbothered by his attitude. "What if I just came over to say hi?" She was used to him being like this.

He glared at her. "You better not have woken me up for nothing!"

"You sleep _every day_! You only see me a few times a week."

"I like sleep. You, not so much." He stood up. "If that's all, I'm going back to bed."

He passed by his hallway mirror and saw his hair sticking out in every direction. He quickly ran a hand through it, but his hair was unruly and stubborn – just like him.

Jae Kyung sat on the couch quietly observing him.

He yawned, and started walking towards his room. "Lock the door when you leave."

He was almost to his bed when she called out: "I'm flying to Korea in three days."

This stopped him on his tracks. He turned around, and found her standing in the hallway, hands on her hips, long hair tied back in a ponytail, looking very bossy.

"Is that all?" He said, feigning indifference. "Have a good trip." He knew why she was going, but he wasn't about to take the bait.

"I'll be there for 2 weeks." Jae Kyung continued, without missing a beat.

Jun Pyo sighed in frustration. "What's that got to do with me?"

"Don't you think it's time you went for a visit?" Jae Kyung walked slowly towards him.

"Ha." He snorted. "And what, do tell, would I do about work? All my meetings..."

"Gu Jun Pyo, you're on forced leave for three weeks." She smirked. "That's why you've been sleeping all day the last few days."

Gu Jun Pyo scowled at her. "You're way too nosy for your own good."

He'd been forced to take a leave of absence for three weeks as he'd been working non-stop and was driving everyone nuts.

"We're business partners." She reminded him. "I know your schedule."

He exhaled in resignation as he shuffled slowly back to the couch. "What, so you want me to go with you?"

She cocked her head to the side. "I think you should go."

It was all she said, but he got the full meaning behind it.

"And why is that?"

Jae Kyung rolled her eyes. _I guess we're playing dumb now_, she thought. "Because you miss Korean food?"

He waved his hand dismissively. "We have Korean food in New York."

"Ah, but nothing beats home."

"Get to the point."

Sighing heavily, Jae Kyung sat down beside him. "Look, the wedding is in two months. I wanted to visit them beforehand. You know, to hang out with my friends."

"They're not your friends."

"Well, right now, neither are they yours."

Jun Pyo clutched his head. "You get more and more annoying as the years go by, you know that?"

"You talking to yourself again? Because you're right. You _are _getting more and more annoying." She gave an exaggerated sigh. "And yet, here I am, still putting up with you."

"I'm not going. That's my final answer."

Jun Pyo was expecting a nasty retort from Jae Kyung, but she stayed silent. She looked at him, as if expecting him to say more.

_Aish, this woman drives me crazy. _

"I'm not angry anymore, okay?" He explained, although she didn't ask him to. "I'm fine now. I've accepted it. I've moved on."

"Have you really?"

"Are you my psychiatrist now?" He smirked. "Is this going to cost me by the hour?"

She winked at him. "Nah. The first session is free."

Jun Pyo sat there for a few minutes, unsure of what to say. _Nothing deters this woman_, he thought.

"You want to know what I think?" Jae Kyung's voice broke the few minutes of silence between them.

"No, but I'm pretty sure you're going to tell me anyway."

"I think you're trying to move on, but you can't. You can't because you need some closure. You can't because you keep wondering what it was that went wrong. Because you're terrified of doing the same mistake again." Her voice softened as she continued on. "But you _want_ to move on. You've been trying to move on. And I think to do that, you need to talk to her. You need to see her again, to ask her the questions that have been bothering you all this time. You want to know if you still have feelings for her. And you're angry, yes, but you're angry at yourself. You're angry because a part of you wants to go ahead and talk to her, but your fear and your pride are holding you back."

Jun Pyo was speechless. When did Jae Kyung learn to read minds? Or had he been _that_ transparent? A flush of embarrassment crept up his cheeks.

"Take it from me, Gu Jun Pyo. The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present." Jae Kyung smiled a sad smile. "In order to move forward, you need to let go of the past."

She walked over to him, squeezed his arm, and left.

…

One day before Jae Kyung was scheduled to fly to Seoul, Jun Pyo decided to go for a run in Central Park. He'd been cooped up in his penthouse for days (mostly playing video games, watching movies and ordering takeout), so he figured some fresh air should do him some good.

Besides, the housekeeper kept knocking on his door asking if she could clean his suite. One look around his place and Jun Pyo decided it was time to let the housekeeper do her work. He figured he could find something to do for an hour or two while she cleaned.

He looked out his window and saw the park and thought a run would be a great idea. He'd get some fresh air _and_ get a workout at the same time. He'd been dormant for so long his muscles needed some waking up. He also wanted to keep his mind occupied. He did not want to think about what Jae Kyung said.

Speaking of Jae Kyung, he kept waiting for her to text or call, to ask if he changed his mind. To persuade him to go.

Nothing.

Not even her usual, "Good morning, Grumpy!" text message.

It annoyed him more than he'd ever admit to her. Why wasn't she checking up on him like usual? He thought about casually calling her to ask if she was ready for her trip, but decided against it.

Jae Kyung would know why he'd called.

The truth was, he got so used to her texting and bugging him that he kind of... missed it. She was pretty much the only close friend he'd had the last 5 years. In a way, her presence seemed to comfort him.

He ran around Central Park for a couple of hours or so, trying to pass the time. Trying to free his mind of whatever was bugging him. It was refreshing, and he wondered why he didn't do it often enough. Wasn't that the main reason he bought his place near the park? So he could be more active? His job required him to sit through hours of meetings and presentations, so he never got much exercise. It also took him late into the night most of the time, so he never had a chance to go out after.

_Maybe this forced vacation thing can be a good thing_, he thought, feeling a lot better than he did three hours ago.

On his last lap around, he passed by an Asian couple looking very cuddly on a bench.

The memory of what he'd been trying too hard to forget suddenly rose to the forefront of his mind. He stopped, unable to take his eyes off them.

It wasn't as if he hadn't seen Asian couples around New York before. But this couple seemed to resemble them uncannily well – from the copper colored hair of the pale, good looking guy, and the long dark tresses of the girl.

It was as if he'd been sent a sign.

He forced himself to look away and slowly walk back to his building.

Jae Kyung was right, and he knew it.

He needed closure. A part of him saw it coming – he knew there was a chance Jan Di would fall for Ji Hoo. Didn't he keep pushing them together? Wasn't he the one who kept asking him to go to her?

But a part of him was confident too. They'd been through a lot. They'd survived so much. And just when they were free to love each other, that's when they drifted apart. Was it just the conflict that drew them together?

What went wrong?

Did he still have feelings for her?

He wasn't sure how he felt anymore. He wouldn't know until he saw her again.

He arrived back at his penthouse, soaked in sweat, head about to explode. He took a long drink of water and then flopped on the couch. He threw his head back and closed his eyes.

He could either ask himself the same questions every day for years and years to come, or he could just get it over with.

He sighed heavily.

He had to talk to her. He had to see her. For one last time.

He had to know.

And besides, he needed to make sure Jae Kyung stayed out of trouble in Korea. That girl could find trouble in a monastery. Never mind the fact that she has private security trailing her all the time, she needed someone like him to keep her in check.

He didn't know how long he sat there like that until a knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.

_Ah, so she came here anyway._ _I knew she couldn't stay away that long._

A smile spread slowly on his face. Maybe he would pretend to be asleep again and let her knock a few times until she let herself in.

_Came to say goodbye, didn't you? _

The knocking continued on longer than Jun Pyo had the patience for.

"You know my passcode. Stop knocking!" He called out, eyes still closed.

"Mister Jun Pyo?" A small voice called out behind the door.

Jun Pyo opened his eyes and sat up.

_Wait, that's not Jae Kyung._

He walked slowly to the door and opened it.

Mister Rogers, their building's security guard, stood on the other side holding a small brown envelope.

"Yes?" He asked the old security guard. He looked to the left and right of the hallway to see if Jae Kyung was hiding somewhere.

"I'm very sorry to bother you, Mister Gu Jun Pyo. But Miss Jae Kyung left this for you the other day. She said to give it to you today at 5 pm." Mister Rogers handed him the envelope, bowed his head a little, and then left.

Jun Pyo walked back towards his couch, puzzled. He opened the envelope and couldn't help but smile.

Inside the envelope was a first-class ticket to Korea for tomorrow's flight.

Jae Kyung had left a note scrawled with her neat handwriting:

"_Hey Grumpy!_

_You're sitting right behind me._

_Don't be late."_

…


	5. Chapter 4

"_If I had to live my life again, I'd find you sooner."_ \- Kobi Yamada

**Chapter 4:**

Jan Di got home from work and found a huge bouquet of flowers sitting on the table. A huge smile broke on her face.

_It's so beautiful! But I told Ji __Hoo__ not to get me anymore flowers._

Still, she couldn't help feeling a little giddy. Her heart fluttered wildly as she inspected the bouquet. It was a beautiful mixture of white and yellow roses, red carnations and a few purple lotus flowers.

She went to the sink, pulled out a vase from under it, filled it with water, and set about arranging the flowers on it.

She didn't notice the card until she went to place the vase on the table.

_He even got me a card! _

She opened it excitedly. It wasn't as if Ji Hoo had never done this before. In fact, he used to bring and send flowers to her almost on a weekly basis until she told him to stop. He obeyed and only gave her flowers on special occasions.

She pulled the card out and read it.

"To the best noona in the world." It said.

_Huh?_

Jan Di frowned.

_Noona__?_

She turned the card over. Kang San's messy writing filled up the back of the small card.

"We have preliminaries on Thursday for the competition. Can you come help us get some votes? Please, please, please?"

_That's right. I almost forgot._

Kang San told her they needed to place in the top ten to get into the fashion show next week – where she and Ji Hoo would have to 'model' the shirts.

A part of her hoped Kang San wouldn't make the preliminaries, so she wouldn't have to ask Ji Hoo to wear one.

She scolded herself, feeling like a traitor.

_What kind of a sister are you? Wanting your little brother to fail? It's just a shirt._ _You only have to wear it for a few minutes. _

See, if she could only tell Ji Hoo that he'd be sure to understand.

_Yi Jung sunbae! _

She needed to get Yi Jung sunbae on board!

_Yi Jung sunbae would understand, wouldn't he? He seems like an understanding guy..._

She pulled out her phone and dialed Ga Eul's number. Ga Eul should just be getting off work too.

"Hello?" Ga Eul's voice sounded tired.

"Are you free right now?"

"Yes, just waiting for the bus to go home."

"Oh. I thought Yi Jung sunbae normally picked you up from work?"

"Yeah, but he's busy preparing for his exhibit next week. I told him I'd take the bus."

"Do you want to stop by here? I want to talk to you about something."

Ga Eul's voice perked up. "Ooohhh... are we picking out wedding flowers?"

Jan Di winced. "Umm... not really."

"Did your dress finally come in?"

"Umm... no."

"Gosh, it's taking them awfully long to ship that dress. Aren't you worried?"

"Uh, not really."

The truth was, she hadn't exactly been thinking about her wedding lately.

"Ooohh... is it something you can't tell me on the phone?"

"Sort of. It's something you have to... see."

"I'll be right over!" Ga Eul exclaimed excitedly.

Jan Di hung up, feeling a little guilty.

_Boy, will she be disappointed when she finds out what it's about_...

...

Ga Eul arrived exactly half an hour later. The two of them sat in her room, staring at the sample shirts.

"Why are they so... bright?" Ga Eul squinted as she examined them closely. "You need sunglasses just to look at one."

"Kang San said they wanted them to stand out. Everyone else picked normal colors."

"Boy, does it ever stand out. I think you can see this from the moon!"

She looked at Ga Eul, hesitating for a brief second before asking. "Ga Eul, what would it take for Yi Jung sunbae to wear one?"

Ga Eul was thoughtful for a moment.

"Hmm... let's see... First, I have to burn all his clothes. Then I have to go to every store in Seoul to buy out their clothes. Then, I'd have to hack into every online store to ensure they can't send him clothes. Then..."

"Okay, okay, I get the point."

"Why do you want Yi Jung to wear one? Are you still mad at him about the camping trip?"

"No! I was never mad about the camping trip." In fact, it was one of the best weekends she'd ever had.

She scratched her head. "Actually, it's Ji Hoo who needs to wear one. But he said he'll only wear one if Yi Jung sunbae wore one with you."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why am _I_ getting roped into this?"

"Because you're my awesome best friend?"

"Do you do this to all your best friends?"

Jan Di rolled her eyes. "Ga Eul, you're my only best friend."

Ga Eul pouted. "You need to make new friends."

"Unfortunately, I don't have time for that. So you'll have to do."

"Whoop de doo. Lucky me."

Ga Eul leaned closer to her ear. "Good luck on getting Yi Jung to wear one. Let's just say, he once drove an hour back to his house because we happened to wear the _exact_ shade of blue on the way to a concert." She made a face. "We missed the concert, by the way."

Jan Di pulled a face. "He doesn't think it's sweet?"

"He said the dressing-alike couple thing for romance is _way _beneath him."

Ga Eul looked at her questioningly. "Wait, why does Ji Hoo have to wear one?"

"It's for Kang San's school project."

"I thought your brother liked him."

"He does like him."

"Then why is he being punished?"

"He is NOT being punished! Kang San _adores_ Ji Hoo."

She thought of how excited her brother got every time Ji Hoo came over.

The two of them had been hanging out a lot the last few months. Ji Hoo had brought Kang San fishing several times. Once, he even took him shopping for clothes and shoes. Kang San looked up to Ji Hoo, and wanted to copy his style, so Ji Hoo graciously obliged. When Kang San got home one day, he was dressed exactly like Ji Hoo. He even went so far as to get the exact same hairstyle – which was cute at first – but Jan Di had to put a stop to it as she kept confusing her brother with Ji Hoo when he had his back to her. Ji Hoo found it hilarious, but Jan Di not so much.

And just last week, Kang San had taken Ji Hoo out for chicken and beer. The two of them got along really well. After an outing together, all Kang San would talk about for hours was how cool Ji Hoo was.

As if Jan Di needed any reminding.

"Sure doesn't seem like it." Ga Eul muttered under her breath.

Jan Di scowled at her. "I need your help in this. Kang San is counting on me. But we can't tell the boys. I promised Kang San."

Ga Eul threw her hands up in the air. "Okay, okay! Fine. But I really don't know how to get Yi Jung to wear one."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes.

Suddenly, Ga Eul's face lit up and a light bulb came on in her head. "I may not know how, but I know who does!"

Jan Di's face filled with hope. "Who?"

Ga Eul grinned. "Woo Bin."

...

An hour after a quick call to Woo Bin, a sleek, black sportscar pulled up in front of Jan Di's house. Ga Eul and Jan Di watched from the window as Woo Bin stepped out of his car.

"Where's Hye Jin?" Jan Di asked, looking back at the car.

"She just got assigned to a new project and have been working a lot lately. But she can drop by later after work if you need her."

"Oh no, that's okay. It's actually you we need to talk to."

Woo Bin looked at the two of them. "So, what do you ladies need help with? Someone annoy you? You need me to beat someone up? Or just give them a little scare?"

Jan Di and Ga Eul's eyes widened in horror. "No, no! It's nothing like that."

Woo Bin chuckled. "I was kidding. Relax. What's up?"

"Well," Jan Di started as they all sat down in her living room. "You've known Yi Jung sunbae for a really long time..."

Woo Bin turned to Ga Eul before Jan Di could finish. "What did he do this time? Do you want me to smack some sense into him?"

"He needs more than a smack to get some sense in. But that's not it." Ga Eul answered. She looked at Jan Di. "Just tell him."

Jan Di brought out the shirts.

"How could we get Yi Jung sunbae to wear this?"

Woo Bin examined one of the shirts. Then he burst out laughing. "You'd have to tie him to a tree and then super glue it on him."

Ga Eul cringed. "That sounds painful. Let's not do that to him. He is my baby, after all."

"Why does Yi Jung need to wear one?" Woo Bin asked.

"Actually, we want Ji Hoo to wear one. It's for Kang San."

Woo Bin looked at her and Ga Eul incredulously. "You want Ji Hoo to wear this because Kang San wants him to?"

Jan Di nodded.

"Why? Does your brother hate Ji Hoo now? What did Ji Hoo do?"

Jan Di gave an exasperated sigh. "He does NOT hate Ji Hoo! WILL YOU GUYS STOP SAYING THAT!?"

"So why are we making him wear it?"

Jan Di lowered her head. "We can't tell you. He has to wear it willingly."

"Jan Di, no one in their right mind will wear this willingly." Woo Bin said, sympathetically. "If you want me to help, you have to tell me everything."

"Fine. But you have to promise you won't tell the others."

"Promise."

After a few minutes of explanation, Woo Bin let out a low whistle. "Okay, okay. Now I get it."

He looked at Jan Di, face all serious.

"I'll help you. But you have to promise me something."

"What is it?" She asked, feeling a little optimistic now that Woo Bin was on board to help.

"Promise me that I won't have to wear it ok?"

"I promise."

Woo Bin looked at her and Ga Eul conspiratorially.

"I think I have an idea. But first I need you to introduce me to Kang San's group mates."

…

* * *

_Author's note:_

_If you're itching to read more JanHoo fanfiction, please check out the works of my favorite authors on this site. They have written amazing JanHoo stories - you won't regret it!_


	6. Chapter 5

"_Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction." _\- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

**Chapter 5:**

Jan Di arrived at Ji Hoo's house early one morning to find him looking very frustrated as he bent over a pot of boiling water in his kitchen.

Grandfather sat in the corner watching Ji Hoo with great amusement. He kept chuckling every now and again.

"What's going on?" She asked, as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Ji Hoo's trying to cook us breakfast," Grandfather Yoon answered. "And it's not pancakes."

Jan Di raised an eyebrow. Ji Hoo had been trying to learn how to cook lately. He said it was so he could cook for her when they lived in Canada, since she wouldn't be able to do much after the surgery. Most of it he ended up throwing in the trash, though one or two dishes that he made turned out alright. Still, Jan Di had to give him an "A" for effort.

Ji Hoo took an egg from the carton and cracked it open on top of the pot. He peered in closely, looking quite expectant, then sighed and muttered something incoherent under his breath.

Jan Di noticed he had a recipe book open on the table. She looked at the page and read: "Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce."

"Why won't it form right?" She heard him complain. He kept dropping one egg after another in the pot. After several words of frustrated mumbling, he would put the pot in the sink, grab another pot from the drawer, fill it with water, and start over. Jan Di saw there were at least 4 pots already piled up on the sink.

"Breakfast AND a show!" Grandfather exclaimed, completely entertained by the sight in front of him.

She went to stand beside him and looked in the pot. It was cloudy and she couldn't see where the egg went.

"I think you're going to need more eggs. You've only gone through two dozen so far." Grandfather pointed at the sink, which was full of dishes and discarded food items. "If I knew you'd get into making breakfast, I would have bought you some egg-layers for your birthday!"

She saw the frustration written all over Ji Hoo's face.

"Let me help you," she offered. He looked at her and gave a resigned nod.

Together both of them tried and tried, and, after a few failed attempts, finally managed to get the hang of it. (Which was a good thing because they really were out of eggs).

They sat down for a late breakfast, hungrily (but happily) forking down Ji Hoo's latest cooking venture.

"I had it in Canada with Grandfather last year," Ji Hoo explained. "I wanted you to try it."

"It's really good," she said, between bites. "Thank you."

"I think you did most of the work."

"So, what are you two lovebirds up to today?" Grandfather Yoon asked, looking from Ji Hoo to Jan Di.

"I have work later, Grandfather," Jan Di replied. "And I think Ji Hoo is on night shift tonight." Ji Hoo was scheduled on night shift for the next few nights.

Ji Hoo nodded in agreement. He then turned to face Grandfather. "Did you want to hang out with me today? We haven't had a chance to do anything together in a while."

Grandfather looked at him inquiringly. "Shouldn't you get some sleep?"

"Nah. I don't need that much sleep."

"Hah! This coming from the boy who used to do nothing but nap all day."

Ji Hoo grinned. "So, what do you say Grandfather? Should we go fishing? Watch a show? Let's do something before you leave tomorrow."

"I'll only be gone for two weeks this time. And Japan isn't that far." Grandfather put a loving hand on Ji Hoo's shoulder. "Shouldn't you guys be doing some wedding stuff?"

Ji Hoo looked at Jan Di.

"Most of it is done, Grandfather." Jan Di replied for both of them.

Jan Di was glad they had a wedding planner. Ji Hoo and her were pretty laid back – she didn't really care if the centerpieces were flecked with gold or filled with flowers, nor did she care if the chair covers were the wrong shade of yellow (though those things seemed to bother their wedding planner A LOT). All she cared about was that she was marrying Ji Hoo. Ji Hoo seemed to be in the same mind set as her. As long as both of them showed up, and their family and closest friends were there, the rest were minor things they didn't feel the need to worry about.

After breakfast, Jan Di and Grandfather went outside to sit and talk, while Ji Hoo offered to clean up. He'd been trying to get "domesticated" so he'd been doing household chores as much as he could (or trying to, anyway).

She recalled the first time Ji Hoo had tried to do his own laundry. He had called her, panicking, one day.

"What's wrong?" She asked, fearing the worst.

"Something's wrong with my washing machine!" He exclaimed, in alarm.

She rushed to his house and found him standing in front of the machine with a basket full of pink clothes. She tried to stifle the laughter that was bubbling inside her. She knew exactly what happened there.

"What happened?" She asked, as she tried to keep a straight face.

"I don't know. They came out like this. It's like someone sabotaged my clothes!"

He looked so cute even when he was distraught that Jan Di wanted to give him a kiss. But she tried to pull herself together.

"It's a good thing pink looks good on you." She joked, wanting him to lighten up.

He pouted, and it almost undid her resolve. She tore her eyes away from him for a second and tried to look serious.

"Wait, you've never done your own laundry before?" She knew he liked doing things for himself. Ji Hoo even liked to wash his own vehicles and cut his own hair.

A spot of red appeared on his cheeks. "No. My clothes are pretty... delicate."

She had to agree. One of his suits probably cost more than all her clothes and shoes combined.

"So, what made you attempt this today?"

He looked away, embarrassed. "I wanted to impress you."

If Grandfather hadn't been home that day, she would have jumped him right then and showered him with kisses.

"How about let's leave the laundry to me in the future, okay? I _do_ know a thing or two about cleaning clothes." She winked at him. Thanks to her parents' business, she knew way more than she should know about keeping clothes (especially expensive ones) pristine.

Jan Di's mind travelled back to the present. Grandfather had pulled out Ji Hoo's baby album and was flipping through it, a nostalgic look reflected on his heavily lined face.

Grandfather was always away at some charity event or conference somewhere so Jan Di only saw glimpses of him now and again. She missed talking to him and listening to his stories. He was filled with so many interesting stories – from when he was the President of Korea to when he had his small clinic as a doctor. Her favorites were stories of when Ji Hoo was little, and all the trouble Ji Hoo got into. Grandfather thumbed through an album filled with Ji Hoo's baby pictures – and Jan Di giggled with delight as he recounted a story attached to each picture.

After a few minutes, Grandfather paused and gave Jan Di a solemn look.

"What's wrong, Grandfather?" She asked, worriedly.

"Jan Di, you take good care of my Ji Hoo okay? He's been by himself for too long. Soon, I may not be there for him either."

Jan Di swallowed hard as a lump formed in her throat. Grandfather was still quite strong, but she and Ji Hoo knew his health was failing. Ji Hoo had requested him to stop travelling so much but he reasoned that he didn't just want to sit there and do nothing. And that he was going to enjoy life as long as he could, while he could. There was no convincing him otherwise so they let it go.

"I promise I will, Grandfather."

"In spite of growing up alone, he turned out pretty well, didn't he?"

Grandfather's voice was full of pride.

"Yes, he did. He turned out very well." She replied, trying hard to keep her composure.

"I was so worried about him for the longest time, you know. I was terrified that he'd be left alone again when I'm gone. He had to raise himself up and grieve all alone. I regretted not being there for him." He lowered his head, as if ashamed. "I should have been there to comfort him, to hug him, to raise him. But I feel a lot better now that he has you."

Grandfather hugged Jan Di tightly. She was taken aback at first, but hugged him back just as tight.

"Thank you for choosing my Ji Hoo," he whispered in her ear.

Jan Di quickly wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek. "How could I not, Grandfather? He's the other half of my soul."

"I've never seen him so happy... so alive," Grandfather had a twinkle in his eye as he said it. "I have _you _to thank for that."

A blush crept up her cheeks and she heard him chuckle.

"You two best get on giving me grandkids as soon as the wedding is over, okay? There better be little ones running around here soon!"

"Grandfather!" Jan Di scolded, her ears burning.

"We need some noise around here. It's too quiet." His eyes travelled back into the house. "And some mess. This place is way too clean for my liking. The cleaners barely have anything to do. They're starting to get lazy, you know. They don't think I notice, oh but I do."

He wagged a finger at her face. "And besides, I'm not getting any younger." Then he winked at Jan Di. "Look at it this way – he's a pediatrician so you know your kids will be well taken care of! He'd know what to do right off the bat!"

She had to laugh at that. "I have no doubt he'd take good care of them, Grandfather."

Grandfather opened the album and pointed to one to Ji Hoo's baby pictures and started telling her stories about Ji Hoo's childhood again, and she started laughing with him once more.

Ji Hoo watched the two from inside, his heart full and happy. He was about to step outside to join them when his phone beeped. He glanced at it.

It was from Jae Kyung.

"_We're coming to Seoul for a quick visit."_

He looked outside to where Jan Di was sitting and then looked back at the message on his phone.

"We" was what it said.

He knew who was coming with Jae Kyung. He had no doubt in his mind.

Jun Pyo was coming back home.

…


	7. Chapter 6

"_Maybe you don't need the whole world to love you. Maybe you just need one person."_ \- Kermit the Frog

**Chapter 6:**

The flight was long and boring. Jun Pyo tried to pass the time by reading some magazines that he brought along but found himself stealing glances at Jae Kyung, who was sitting in front of him, ignoring him the entire flight. It annoyed him because he knew she was doing it on purpose to annoy him.

Frustrated, he tried to lie down to get some sleep but found he couldn't. So many thoughts were running through his head. It had been over a year since he was last home. His mother and sister had been delighted to hear of his visit (his mother even happier he was coming with Jae Kyung). His father was busy trying to slowly get back into the swing of things (he'd been seeing numerous specialists to ensure things got back to "normal"). His friends...

He frowned.

Did his friends know he was coming back?

He glanced at the top of Jae Kyung's head, which was all he could see of her. She would have told them, he was sure of it. He was sure they'd be at the airport waiting for him when they landed.

He smiled smugly to himself. His friends had texted and called him quite regularly the past year. Most of the time he missed their calls and forgot to text back.

But he knew them well. They grew up together, after all.

They'd be there.

…

As soon as their flight landed, Jun Pyo breathed a sigh of relief. He stretched his arms and legs and ran his hand quickly through his hair. He put on his trademark scowl and got off the plane. Jae Kyung just gave him an amused smirk, as she walked in front of him.

He got onto the terminal, his eyes discreetly sweeping around in search of his friends. When he got near the exit, his scowl deepened. He was expecting them to be casually standing by, waiting for him to appear.

Where were they?

_Ah, they must be waiting outside the terminal. _

They exited the terminal and he saw Jae Kyung step into a black car parked right outside. She beckoned him to come in. He couldn't hide his annoyance as he sat inside the car. His friends weren't there either. Did they not know he was coming home? Didn't they want to see him?

"Welcome back, Young Master, Young Miss." The driver of the car, someone Jun Pyo didn't recognize, greeted them. Another guy in a black suit got into the passenger side.

Jun Pyo had gotten so used to his men-in-black he barely noticed they were there anymore. Jae Kyung seemed the same. Jun Pyo knew there was a car in front and another behind them that were filled with their personal guards. It was the price they paid for being uber-rich. What did the media call them again? They said he and Jae Kyung were part of the top 2% in Korea.

"So, did you enjoy your flight?" Jae Kyung asked, smiling widely. It was the first time she spoke to him since he got on the plane in New York.

_Oh, now you want to talk to me, huh? _

He decided not to answer her back. He looked outside his window, scowling.

"You know, if you keep making that face, it's going to freeze permanently into place." She gasped when he didn't move. "Or maybe it already has! Oh, you poor thing! Good thing we have the best plastic surgeons that money can buy right here!"

"You're hilarious." He said, dryly. "Just freaking hilarious."

He was too busy glaring at her he didn't notice they'd arrived at his house.

Was Jae Kyung just dropping him off?

"We're here," she said, as she got off the car, unknowingly answering his question. She waltzed into his house, greeting the servants that waited outside.

_How come she knows them by name and I don't? This is MY house, not hers! _

He shook his head, annoyance growing. He was so focused on her he didn't notice the three exotic cars that were parked on his driveway.

And the three young men that were leaning on those cars.

…

"You look like you just ate something sour," Woo Bin greeted, as he clapped a hand on Jun Pyo's back. "Welcome back, bro!"

Yi Jung was smiling from ear to ear as he shook Jun Pyo's hand. "And the F4 is complete again!"

Jun Pyo glanced at Ji Hoo, who was walking slowly towards him, hands in his pockets. He tried to summon up his anger and tell Ji Hoo to get lost.

_What are you doing here? How dare you show your face!_

But none of those came out.

He knew he wasn't angry at Ji Hoo. In fact, he felt guilty at the way he treated Ji Hoo when he visited him in New York.

Ji Hoo… who was his best friend, who was closest to him out of them all, who flew thousands of miles just to apologize to him, to see how he was doing and to make sure he was alright. And all Jun Pyo did was utter a few brusque words and then sent him back to Korea.

He was sure Woo Bin and Yi Jung would welcome him back, but he was quite doubtful about Ji Hoo showing up after New York.

Yet here he was, standing in front of him, looking quite unsure himself. He recalled what Ji Hoo said to him in New York. He told him he'd be waiting for him to come back, no matter how long it took.

It didn't take him very long to come back, but still. Here Ji Hoo was, true to his word.

_How could I possibly hate this guy? _Jun Pyo thought, a little infuriated with himself. _Darn you, Ji __Hoo__! Darn you!_

Deep down, he knew that the real test of his feelings would come when he saw Jan Di again in person. He was sure of it.

"Welcome back, Gu Jun Pyo." Ji Hoo greeted, a nervous smile on his face.

They were there. All three of them. His friends since Kindergarten. His partners in crime.

Welcoming him back.

Jun Pyo was so relieved to see that his friends hadn't forgotten him he forgot he was supposed to scowl. His mouth quirked at the corner and he gave them each an acknowledging nod.

"Where were you guys?" He blurted, forgetting also that he wasn't supposed to care.

"Jae Kyung said we should just wait here for you," Yi Jung answered.

_That woman!_ She was certainly getting to be a pro at knowing how to annoy him the most.

"Master Gu Jun Pyo, your mother is waiting for you and your friends inside," one of the servants who stood by the door called out to him.

Jun Pyo looked at his friends and gestured inside.

"You guys coming?"

"Of course we are." Woo Bin replied, as he and the others followed Jun Pyo inside the house.

…

After dinner, the four of them sat in his living room trying to catch up on things.

"So, I heard you're also going out with a commoner?" Jun Pyo asked Woo Bin.

Woo Bin gave an impish grin. "Yup. You'll get to meet her soon. She's pretty excited to meet you."

"How long are you here for?" Yi Jung asked him.

"A week or so." He answered. Truth be told, he had no idea when he was supposed to come back. Jae Kyung just gave him the ticket to get to Seoul. She hadn't mentioned an exact date of return. He made a mental note to ask her later.

"We should do something fun together, then." Yi Jung suggested. "Just like old times!"

Jun Pyo had to admit he really missed his friends. Sitting around his living room with them felt like old times.

"Sure," was all he said. "I don't really have anything planned. We can go rent an island somewhere for a few days."

Up until the day before, his plan was to sleep, eat, and play until he was scheduled back to work.

The other three exchanged looks.

"We can't get away for that long." Woo Bin explained. "Work, you know." Plus, they didn't know if the girls could get away for that long in such short notice.

"Right." Jun Pyo said.

"Oooh... we should take you to one of those Karaoke bars. Those things are fun!" Yi Jung, face bright with excitement, proposed.

"That sounds more like a punishment," Jun Pyo commented.

Ji Hoo and Woo Bin laughed.

"Trust me, if we wanted to punish you, we'd just send you off on a weekend camping trip with Yi Jung," Ji Hoo said.

Yi Jung rolled his eyes. "Oh, are we _still_ upset about that? You guys should get over it. That was _SO_ last month!"

"Yi Jung, that WAS last month. Literally." Woo Bin argued.

Yi Jung stuck his lower lip out. "You make ONE mistake and they won't let you forget about it."

Jun Pyo looked at the other three, confusion written on his face.

"What are you guys talking about?" he asked.

"We'll tell you about it some other time," Ji Hoo said, grinning widely.

Jun Pyo WAS perplexed.

_Karaoke bars? Camping trips? _

What happened to his friends?

They'd changed.

…

Woo Bin and Yi Jung left two hours later, and only Ji Hoo stayed behind. Jun Pyo had thought Ji Hoo would be the first to leave, but his friend just stood outside, leaning on his car, as they watched the other two drive away.

"You not leaving yet?" He asked.

"Do you want me to go now?" Ji Hoo replied.

"Nah. I was just wondering. Don't you have somewhere to get to?"

He didn't want to ask if Jan Di might be waiting for him.

Ji Hoo shook his head. "Jan Di's at work and I'm working nights right now so I still have time before I have to go."

Jun Pyo simply nodded. He stood beside Ji Hoo and they both stared ahead.

"How's the hospital life?"

"Oh, you know. Hectic. It's like a never-ending sprint. There's no finish line."

"Do you like it?"

"Yes. Even though it could get quite stressful at times, it's pretty rewarding too. I really enjoy it. I've met some of the most interesting people the last few years."

"I thought you didn't like people? And yet, you find a profession where you have to deal with them constantly."

Ji Hoo shrugged. "It's not that bad. I guess you get used to it."

Jun Pyo looked at Ji Hoo – the guy who used to disappear for hours hiding somewhere just so he could avoid the crowd. He felt renewed respect and admiration for his friend. (Though he dared not show it.)

"I'll come visit you at the hospital one day."

Ji Hoo looked at him, trying to see if he was serious. "I'd like that."

Jun Pyo took a long, deep breath in. "How's Jan Di?"

There. He said her name. He'd asked. Was that why Ji Hoo stayed behind?

"She's good. She also loves the hospital life." Ji Hoo paused for a moment before adding, "She knows you're here."

He said nothing in response.

"She'd want to know how you're doing."

"Oh?" Was all Jun Pyo said at first. "And what will you tell her?"

Ji Hoo turned to face Jun Pyo. "I was hoping you'd tell her yourself."

Jun Pyo arched an eyebrow. He wasn't expecting Ji Hoo to suggest that. He was actually going to ask him if he could talk to her.

After all the times he tried taking Jan Di back from him, shouldn't Ji Hoo be... a little possessive of her? Shouldn't he be worried?

"Are you sure you want me to?"

"I think you need to."

Ji Hoo_ had _changed. He was different somehow... did he seem more confident?

Jun Pyo looked away. "You sound like Jae Kyung," he muttered. Then he sighed heavily. "_If _she wants to talk to me."

"I can ask her. I won't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do...but knowing her, I think she'd want to."

"So, you'd let me take her out on a date?" He joked, and was surprised when Ji Hoo nodded.

"As long as she's okay with it."

Jun Pyo couldn't believe what he was hearing. He decided to tease Ji Hoo a little.

"Aren't you worried she'd change her mind and come back to me?"

Ji Hoo looked at him. "Should I be?"

His eyes were unreadable. Jun Pyo wasn't sure if what he said had any effect on him. He shook his head in disbelief. There was definitely something different about Ji Hoo. He noticed it when he came to visit him in New York too.

"So, what happened to you? You've changed. And don't tell me you fell in love. You were in love with Min Seo Hyun for a very long time and you didn't change like this."

Ji Hoo gave him a lopsided smile. "This time I was loved back."

It was true. Though Min Seo Hyun loved him, it wasn't the way Jan Di loved him now. Seo Hyun loved him mostly like a sister would.

"How about you? How are things going with you?" Ji Hoo asked him, his voice sincere.

Jun Pyo shrugged. "As well as can be expected."

"How are things with Jae Kyung?"

Jun Pyo expected questions like that, considering the amount of time he'd been hanging out with her.

"That brat? She's incorrigible." He looked back at the house. No doubt Jae Kyung was telling his mother and sister stories about him. Embarrassing ones. He was certain he could hear laughter coming out of the sitting area. "She knows just how to push my buttons. She's arrogant, hard headed, ridiculously stubborn. She's just like..." He paused as something dawned on him.

_Me._

_She's just like me._

The revelation shook him. How had he not noticed it before?

_Wait, is that a good thing? _

He wasn't sure.

Ji Hoo laughed, as though he read Jun Pyo's mind.

_I need to learn how to stop being so transparent. I might as well wear a sign! _

"Took you long enough to figure it out." Ji Hoo quipped.

He shook his head. "I don't know, Ji Hoo..." He was so torn. He knew he felt _something_ for Jae Kyung. Exactly what it was terrified him to find out. "Do I really want to make my mother THAT happy?" His mother would throw a grand ball if he ever pursued a relationship with Jae Kyung. Assuming she still felt something for him. He tried to push those thoughts aside.

_One relationship issue at a time, Jun Pyo._

"Congratulations, by the way." He said, and he meant it. Ji Hoo had won, fair and square.

"Thanks. But it wasn't a competition."

"Still."

"It feels nice when the second lead gets the girl though. That doesn't normally happen."

"What second lead? What are you talking about?"

Ji Hoo chuckled. "The girls got us to watch a KDrama once. You know, where you have a main lead who's the star of the show and who always gets the girl. Then there's the second lead who also likes the girl but is tossed aside and everyone just ends up feeling sorry for him."

Jun Pyo raised an eyebrow. "Who said you were second lead?"

"Come on now, Gu Jun Pyo. You were the leader of the F4. You always called the shots. I was just in the sidelines."

"That doesn't make you second lead. It could be Woo Bin. Or Yi Jung."

"It could be." Ji Hoo nodded. "But we both know that in this story, it's definitely me." Ji Hoo looked up at the sky and grinned. "Someone up there must like me."

"Nonsense." Jun Pyo commented, but he couldn't help but smile. This Ji Hoo who he'd known since they were 4 was talking nonsense about KDramas and second leads and what-nots. "Then they must really hate me."

Ji Hoo's face turned serious. "Why's that?"

"Because try as I might, I can't bring myself to hate either of you."

...


	8. Chapter 7

"_You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending." - C.S. Lewis_

**Chapter 7: **

Ji Hoo sat at his desk, head throbbing. He was tired, and severely lacking sleep. His eyes scanned the report in front of him, his mind not really registering what he was reading anymore.

He rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms. He thought about lying down for a bit. He had a small, single bed tucked in the back room of his office that he often used to get a little shut eye. He was on call, so if they needed him they could just page him and he'd be up.

The door opened and Nurse Eun Mi came in. For the last month and a half she'd been assigned to assist him when he was on night shift – and she'd been coming a lot lately, even when he hadn't called on her.

She flashed the whitest set of teeth Ji Hoo had ever seen.

"Is there anything you need?" She asked, handing him a cup of coffee.

Ji Hoo shook his head. "I'm good. Thanks."

She sat in front of him and crossed her legs. "Are you sure? You look tired."

"A little. But I'll be fine."

She stood up and walked behind his chair. She leaned over and touched his shoulders.

"Are you sure? Because I could give you a little massage. You know, to ease the tension on your shoulders."

She started gently rubbing his shoulders.

If Ji Hoo hadn't been too tired, he would have known what was happening immediately. As it was, it took him a few seconds before he jumped out of his chair and stepped back.

"I'm fine. I'm good. I don't need a massage." He held his hands up as he moved away from her.

He saw her frown in disappointment, and Ji Hoo's mind suddenly clicked in.

"Look," he said, mentally kicking himself for being too slow to notice. "Just in case we're not clear here, just so we don't have any misunderstandings, I just want to say I'm..."

"I know, I know, you're engaged." She said, interrupting him. "But I don't care." She gave him a doe-eyed look. "I like you. I've _always_ liked you."

He thought of all the times she'd brought him coffee, or something to eat. Or when he'd had to come in for emergencies she had always volunteered to come assist him. All this time, he thought she was just being too nice to him.

_Babo! You're an idiot, Ji Hoo. _

He cleared his throat and thought his next words very carefully.

"Nurse Eun Mi, you seem like a really nice girl but... do you really want to be with someone who would drop his fiancé just like that? Who would cheat on her? You want to be with_ that _kind of person?"

"As long as it's you," she brazenly replied.

Ji Hoo closed his eyes. His head ached even more. Had he given her mixed signals? He worked alongside so many nurses, he was sure he treated them all the same.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But I'm NOT that someone. I will NEVER be that kind of person." He gestured to the door. "I think you should go now."

She left in a huff, and Ji Hoo found himself at a loss at what had just happened. He went back to his desk and sat down, head about to explode.

...

Jan Di's long day was finally over. Her legs ached from standing for so long. She glanced at her watch. Ji Hoo was working night shift again – he should be in his office right at that moment. She contemplated whether she should stop by and see how he was doing. He'd been overexerting himself lately – most of the time spending the day with her even though he had to work at night. Sometimes she worried that he might not be sleeping at all.

She decided to drop by and see him. Maybe ask him if he needed anything?

She arrived at his office just in time to see a nurse step out. The nurse gave her the once-over and frowned when she read Jan Di's name tag.

"He's busy." The nurse said, curtly.

"I'm just stopping by to say hi," Jan Di replied, although she wasn't sure why she was explaining herself. Ji Hoo had told her to drop by anytime.

She looked at the nurse's name tag. Her name was Gung Eun Mi. She was young – Jan Di guessed early 20s, and very pretty. She was always rude to Jan Di whenever Jan Di came over, and Jan Di had a pretty good guess as to why.

"Well, he's tired and really busy right now. You should come back tomorrow."

The nurse's tone made Jan Di's hackles go up. She narrowed her eyes at her and raised her chin up.

"I'll decide."

…

Ji Hoo's office was empty. Jan Di quickly scanned the room and wondered where he went. Nurse Eun Mi said he was inside, didn't she? She stepped towards his desk and saw an untouched cup of coffee there.

_Where could he be? _

She noticed a small door beside the bookshelf that was left slightly ajar. She peeked in and saw him sitting up on the bed, his back on the wall, eyes closed.

She wasn't sure if he was sleeping – but she knew how tired he must be. She began slowly closing the door, cautious not to make any noise.

"Jan Di," she heard him call out. His eyes remained closed.

"I'm here."

She went to him and sat down beside him.

He laid his head on her lap and sighed contentedly. She began to stroke his hair.

"I don't think your nurse likes me," Jan Di said.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'll get it straightened out somehow."

"It's okay, it's no big deal."

When he opened his mouth to contradict, she bent down and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"Really, it's okay." She assured him. If she worried about every single person who didn't like her, she'd never be able to sleep at night.

She continued to stroke his hair while she hummed a little tune. She saw his face relax and his breathing become even.

_He must be asleep_, she thought, after a few minutes.

"I saw Jun Pyo today."

It was barely a whisper, but she heard it loud and clear.

Jan Di froze mid-stroke.

"He wants to talk to you." Ji Hoo continued.

She swallowed hard. She knew this day was coming.

_Am I ready?_

…

The next day was Kang San's preliminaries. Jan Di had promised to come lend a hand so they could get some votes. She'd managed to rope Ga Eul into coming with her, but both Ji Hoo and Yi Jung had work to do.

Ji Hoo had just gotten off night shift and was sleeping all morning, but he was planning on stopping by the Arts Centre in the afternoon. Yi Jung, on the other hand, was apparently busy finishing up some pieces for his upcoming exhibit.

That left Ga Eul and Jan Di to help Kang San and his team make it to the top ten.

"I don't know why we have to dress up like this today," Jan Di complained to Ga Eul as they walked towards Kang San's booth.

Kang San's booth contained a table around 6 feet long, with a colorful banner hanging at the front that said, "My Perfect Match". Pictures of the shirts were taped on top of the table, while the two sets of sample shirts hung on display at the back of the booth. A small, square ballot box lay on the middle. There were around 20 more tables scattered on the grounds of the campus. All of them competed for student votes.

Two young men stood beside Kang San – both of them equally good looking. They were a few inches taller than Kang San, and they watched in awe as Jan Di and Ga Eul walked slowly towards them.

"You don't think this is overkill?" Jan Di whispered, pulling the hem of her skirt lower. She was wearing a gray and white striped long sleeve shirt that hugged her curves, and a cute puffed peach tulle skirt that was three inches above her knees. Her long, dark hair had beach-wave curls that complemented her side swept bangs. "I don't see how dressing up nicely is going to help Kang San."

"Woo Bin suggested it will help us blend in," Ga Eul hissed. "And we did ask for his help so we should probably listen." Ga Eul wore a pink and blue floral skater dress that also went a few inches above her knees. She had parted her long hair to one side, and curled it delicately to frame her beautiful face. "Woo Bin knows what he's doing. At least I hope he does."

"Too bad he also had to work today," Jan Di was hoping even Woo Bin could come help out, even for a few minutes.

"Noona," Kang San greeted, mouth gaping wide open. "You two look nice today." Before Jan Di could answer though, Kang San snapped out of his trance and looked around. "Where's Ji Hoo?"

"I'm sorry, Kang San, but he's busy today."

Kang San gave a brief nod, then busied himself as he tried to get some students to come to their booth to vote.

"I didn't know your sister was so young," one of the boys, the one on Kang San's right, complimented. "And that she had such a pretty friend."

The girls both blushed as they stood beside them. Jan Di decided to stand beside the guy on the right (who she later found out was Min Kyu) while Ga Eul went for the one on the left (whose name was Joo Won).

Kang San started explaining that they needed a lot of votes today to qualify for the fashion show that was happening in a few days. If they don't make the cut, they'd never win first place. He looked around worriedly, as most of the students gathered around other booths. Each student was only allowed to vote once.

Min Kyu and Joo Won seemed more interested in talking to Jan Di and Ga Eul than getting votes. They stood closer to the girls – at times too close for Jan Di's comfort. After around 15 minutes of talking to them, however, Jan Di realized they were actually really great 'kids'. They were smart, funny, and polite. She started feeling at ease, and it wasn't long until all five of them were laughing together, trying to entice students to cast a ballot in their box. Only student ballots counted, and even though they were getting a few, she wasn't sure it was enough. It was still early though – they still had a couple of hours left – and most of the students were just getting off their classes, so Jan Di held to a glimmer of hope that they might just make it.

She went to visit other booths to check out the competition. Some of them were really well made and well thought out, which made her worry even more.

_We might need a miracle to win._

…

Woo Bin watched the girls from behind a brown four-story building on campus, making sure he wasn't seen. He was glad they listened to his advice about dressing up for the event. His grin widened even more as he watched Kang San's team mates getting closer to the girls.

_Perfect. Just like we planned._

He waited for just the right moment and snapped a few pictures of the happy-looking group.

Then he hit "send".

…

Ji Hoo was just getting ready to go to the Arts Center when his phone rang.

"Hey Ji Hoo, where are you?" Yi Jung said as soon as he picked up.

"Just getting ready to leave. What's up?" He asked, as he tied a gray scarf around his neck.

"Did Woo Bin send you a picture?"

He looked through his messages. "No."

"Apparently, the girls are at Kang San's school doing some fundraising or something like that."

"Yeah. It's a school project, if I remember correctly."

"Are you going there?" Yi Jung asked.

"No, I wasn't planning on going. I have to get some stuff done at the Arts Centre." He'd been neglecting some of his duties there lately. "Yi Jung, what's this about?"

Yi Jung was silent for a couple of seconds.

"Did you see Kang San's classmates?"

"No."

"Here, let me forward you the pictures."

A few seconds later, an image came through his phone.

The picture Yi Jung sent had five people in it. Kang San was in the middle, and two boys flanked him, while Jan Di and Ga Eul were on each end. They were all laughing together.

It looked like Kang San had copied his exact style that day – he'd even dyed his hair copper again. He wondered how Jan Di felt about that.

The boys beside him were tall and good looking, Ji Hoo noted. They were even dressed well. He squinted and examined the picture closely. Come to think of it, they looked familiar.

Had he met them before?

No, couldn't have. He'd never been to Kang San's school.

Maybe at the hospital?

He shook his head. It wasn't that either.

He zoomed in on the image. Their hair and clothes looked awfully familiar though...

_Wait a minute._.. he thought, the pieces finally clicking in. _Their clothes... their hair..._

_They look like..._

_Us. _

_They look like younger versions of us._

Kang San looked exactly like Ji Hoo from afar, while the one beside Ga Eul looked like a young Yi Jung, and the one beside Jan Di...

Another picture came in. This one was a picture of one of the guys with Jan Di. He had a hand on her elbow, and was looking at her admiringly. She was laughing at something he said. She looked so beautiful and lovely in her outfit he wasn't surprised someone would look at her like that.

The one beside Jan Di looked like a young Gu Jun Pyo.

_What the?_

Was it part of their marketing tactic? Look like the F4 to get votes? He wasn't sure.

Something stirred inside him. He tried to swat it away, but it kept nagging at him.

"I'm going to drop by the school and say hi to the girls." Yi Jung said. "You know, just to see how they're doing."

He could tell Yi Jung was thinking exactly what he was thinking.

_Yes, we should. Just to say hi. That's it. I'm not worried or checking up on her or anything._

"Can you come pick me up? I'm too tired to drive." He'd been planning on asking his driver to drive him to the Arts Center.

_Change of plans._

Ji Hoo walked into his massive closet and scanned the racks of clothing hanging there.

"Yeah. Give me 15 minutes." Came Yi Jung's reply.

"Hey, Yi Jung?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure you bring your new sportscar. We should make a statement when we arrive."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

…


	9. Chapter 8

"_Someone is going to love you, simply because you are worthy. And each touch, each kiss, each word that leaves their lips will show you what you've been missing all along."_ \- Unknown

**Chapter 8:**

Jan Di heard the car long before she saw it. A red sports car that looked like the batmobile pulled up in front of them. The doors opened upwards and Yi Jung and Ji Hoo stepped out.

Jan Di and Ga Eul gasped.

Yi Jung and Ji Hoo walked towards them, dressed to the nines, looking as though they just came from a GQ fashion shoot. They walked confidently, seemingly in slow motion, with a slight air of superiority – the kind of walk that defied any other reaction other than awe.

Everyone on campus gawked at the two arrivals. Confidence oozed out of every single cell in their bodies. Their clothes had nary a wrinkle on it, and not a single strand of their hair looked out of place. Of course, it didn't help that they were all smiles as they walked; Yi Jung's bedimpled cheeks on full display, coupled with Ji Hoo's boyish grin, were winning hearts everywhere they turned. Even though the two of them wore really dark aviator sunglasses, Jan Di could tell that their eyes were solely focused on them as they walked.

It was perfection personified. In two gloriously good-looking human beings.

One of which was hers.

Students were pointing at them as the two arrived at Kang San's booth.

Jan Di heard several students whispering amongst themselves.

"_Is that the F4?"_

"_No, it can't be. What would they be doing here? At this school?"_

"_They look like them."_

"_Probably lookalikes. We get a lot of those here."_

Kang San and his friends could only stare at them, mouths gaping open.

"Hey beautiful," Yi Jung took his sunglasses off and winked at Ga Eul, who turned the deepest shade of red.

"You're here." Was all Jan Di could say as Ji Hoo stood beside her, pulled her in close, and deftly maneuvered her so he was in between her and Min Kyu. (She could swear she saw him give Min Kyu a little glare before he turned towards her.)

"Of course. Wouldn't miss it," Ji Hoo said, but she saw him look around, confused, as he examined his surroundings. "Umm... what is this supposed to be anyway?"

"We need to help Kang San get some votes," Jan Di explained. Her eyes widened as a crowd of students walked closer and closer to their booth.

Kang San's face lit up when he saw Ji Hoo.

"You came! And you even brought Yi Jung with you! I got two of the F4!" He happily exclaimed. She could tell he was jumping for joy inside. "Oh, we're definitely going to make it now!" His boyish enthusiasm was contagious, and Jan Di couldn't help but smile with him.

Ji Hoo smiled back. "You should have told us you needed help." He looked at Min Kyu and Joo Won. "Then you wouldn't have had to call others."

"Oh no, they're part of my team. They're supposed to be here with me." Kang San explained. He eagerly introduced his team mates to the new arrivals. If Kang San's teammates recognized Ji Hoo and Yi Jung at all, they certainly didn't show it.

They all chatted for a few minutes, the girls still partly in disbelief that the two boys had shown up so suddenly.

"So how come you're all dressed up today?" Ga Eul asked Yi Jung.

"What do you mean? I'm_ always_ dressed up," Yi Jung answered. "I should ask you the same. Why are you so dressed up today?"

Ga Eul tucked some hair behind her ear. "I felt like dressing up?"

"I suppose it had nothing to do with all these young students around campus huh?"

She shrugged, nonchalantly. "Maybe, maybe not."

"Why does he look like me?" Yi Jung whispered in Ga Eul's ear.

Her eyes widened, and she glanced at Joo Won. "That's it! I knew he seemed familiar. No wonder I felt like strangling him sometimes too."

"Very funny." Yi Jung said, wryly.

"They thought it would be cute to look like you guys."

"I don't think it's cute."

"Well, I think it is."

Yi Jung narrowed his eyes at her. "As long as you know who the _real_ So Yi Jung is." He pointed his chin at Joo Won. "And as long as he knows not to get too cuddly."

"I'll make sure to tell him to keep his distance away from you, then," Ga Eul joked.

…

Every time Ji Hoo tried to help Jan Di with something, Min Kyu always seemed to beat him to it. When he tried to assist her in lifting a box full of flyers, Min Kyu snatched the box before he could even blink. When he went to get Jan Di something to drink, he came back to find Min Kyu had already given her a can of soda. The kid followed Jan Di around like a puppy, and while Ji Hoo tried his best to shrug it off, he found himself failing miserably.

"Did you know Min Kyu also wants to get into medicine?" Jan Di excitedly told Ji Hoo, as Min Kyu edged closer to Jan Di again. "He asked me for some pointers and I told him I'd be glad to help him out."

Min Kyu smiled at Jan Di, showing off his perfectly lined teeth. "Yes, you can be sure I'll come visit you at the hospital... _a lot_." He emphasized the last two words and stared at Jan Di way longer than Ji Hoo liked.

Ji Hoo arched an eyebrow. "_I_ can give you some pointers. I've been in the field longer than she has."

"Oh, I don't want to bother you." Min Kyu said. "I heard you're a really busy guy. I'd rather learn from my pretty noona here, anyway. I mean, doesn't she just look lovely today?" He touched the small of her back as he said it.

Jan Di couldn't help but giggle. Kang San had used the same pleading tactic to get her to comply. "Aren't you just the cutest thing?" She said, without thinking. Min Kyu's hand was still on her back but his touch was so light she didn't even notice.

But Ji Hoo did.

And it irked him. He wasn't sure why, because he'd seen Jan Di friendly with other guys before. But this guy's blatant flirting with her was getting to his nerves. The fact that he looked like Jun Pyo also didn't help. At least he knew the real Gu Jun Pyo enough to know what he was thinking. This young, Jun Pyo lookalike was somehow unpredictable and, Ji Hoo decided, not to be trusted.

Ji Hoo's expression became pinched and his mouth formed into a straight line. He raised his hand to casually swat away Min Kyu's hand on Jan Di's back, but Min Kyu took his hand off before Ji Hoo could.

"Oh no, I insist." He said, through gritted teeth.

Jan Di looked quizzically at Ji Hoo. What was going on with him? Was he feeling alright?

"Now that is one, bright shirt," Yi Jung observed, as he stared at the shirt that was hanging behind him. "That shirt is louder than an AC DC concert and cheesier than a family-sized bag of Doritos!"

Ga Eul elbowed him to keep quiet.

"Do you like it?" Kang San enthusiastically asked, not getting Yi Jung's criticism. "It stands out from the crowd, doesn't it?"

"It stands out from anywhere," Yi Jung muttered, as Ga Eul glowered at him to keep quiet.

"Hey, I gotta run and get some more ballots. I'm pretty sure we're gonna need more!" Kang San said to Jan Di. She nodded as he ran towards the massive glass building behind them.

_Maybe we just might make it,_ she thought, feeling proud of her little brother.

"By the way, they need a couple to model those shirts," Jan Di explained to the others, trying not to get her hopes up.

Yi Jung snorted.

"What? You don't want to wear it with me?" Ga Eul dared Yi Jung, half-jokingly.

"Ha! Good luck with that," Yi Jung replied, indignantly. "I'd wear aluminum foil before I wore THAT shirt."

"Now that I'd like to see," Ji Hoo said, and Jan Di couldn't help but giggle out loud.

"I'll wear it with you!" Joo Won enthusiastically volunteered, while making googly eyes at Ga Eul. "I'd LOVE to wear one with you. Even if we could pretend to be a couple for just a few minutes, it would be worth it." He then pointed at Yi Jung with his chin. "_Ahjussi _here probably won't be comfortable wearing something like this anyway. He's WAY TOO OLD for stuff like this."

Ga Eul gasped as everyone turned to look at Joo Won, who seemed oblivious to the stares he was getting.

_Did he just call Yi Jung ahjussi? _Jan Di couldn't believe her ears. Sure, they were older than Kang San's group but not THAT much.

"_I think this guy's got a death wish_," Ji Hoo whispered to Jan Di.

Yi Jung stood there, his mouth suspended open in disbelief, and his eyes sending daggers to Joo Won. Jan Di could actually feel the tension rising in the air.

"Easy now, Yi Jung," Ji Hoo called out calmly, steering Yi Jung a few steps away from Joo Won.

"That young punk's testing my patience!" Yi Jung replied, not taking his eyes off Joo Won. "Can you believe he called me _ahjussi_? And he's making a move on my Ga Eul!"

"You know, calling him a young punk probably isn't helping your case," Ji Hoo reasoned.

Jan Di could see a vein throbbing at the top of Yi Jung's forehead. She was certain it would burst if Joo Won said one more word.

Joo Won took the shirts off the hanger and with a wink and a playful smile, handed one to Ga Eul, who still stood there, too shocked to move.

Jan Di was sure she could see smoke coming out of Yi Jung's ears now. Any minute now, he could erupt. Something clicked in her mind.

_Wait, is Yi Jung jealous? _

"Look here, you," Yi Jung whirled at Joo Won, his face beet red in anger. "If ANYONE... ANYONE at all is going to wear a loud, cheesy, matchy, couply shirt with MY Ga Eul, it will be ME. You hear that? ME. No one else but ME." He snatched the shirt from a surprised Joo Won and put it on.

Ga Eul's eyes widened and her jaw almost dropped to the ground. Jan Di gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"That has got to be the weirdest and most romantic thing I've ever heard him say." She said to Jan Di and Ji Hoo. "And believe me, he's said a lot of weird and romantic things before, just not at the same time."

Jan Di couldn't believe her eyes. Yi Jung stood there, head held high, wearing the neon orange Penguin shirt.

"Aw, man, I look like a radioactive goldfish!" He sulked, obviously regretting his hasty decision.

Ga Eul wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him on the cheek. "If it helps, you're the best-looking radioactive goldfish I'd ever seen," she teased, which seemed to pacify him a little.

"_She's seen other radioactive goldfish?_" Ji Hoo couldn't help but mutter out loud.

Yi Jung gave Joo Won a look that dared him to come between him and Ga Eul now. His eyes seemed to say, _See that? She's mine!_ which would have looked quite intimidating if he wasn't wearing the neon shirt.

"I'd wear one with you too," Min Kyu whispered to Jan Di, though it was suspiciously loud enough for Ji Hoo to hear.

Ji Hoo gave him a warning glare. "DON'T. EVEN. GO. THERE." He enunciated each word carefully, and Min Kyu shrank back at the dark expression on his face.

She examined Ji Hoo's face. Something she'd never seen before was registered there.

_Is Ji Hoo... jealous? Him? _

Just then Woo Bin came sauntering in, his face a picture of complete and utter satisfaction, as if he'd won something. He seemed quite proud of himself. He gave Joo Won and Min Kyu an almost imperceptible nod, and Jan Di saw the two boys grin back at him. He stood beside the booth as more and more students flocked to them.

Jan Di heard a girl whisper "F4?" to another girl, and both girls stared skeptically at Yi Jung, Woo Bin and Ji Hoo. She knew they must have heard of the F4, but it had been a long time since those days and Kang San's generation may not know exactly what they looked like. (Not to mention there had been a lot of F4 lookalikes / wannabes around town through the years also.) This wasn't Shinhwa after all.

A teacher around Jan Di's age passed by and froze in front of their booth.

"F4?" She said, doubtfully at first. She stared at them for a few seconds - just long enough to have Woo Bin arch an eyebrow at her as if to say, _Come on now. We're the real deal._

Then, recognition dawned on her face and she squealed. "F4! I don't believe it! They're here!"

Woo Bin gave a sigh of relief. _Finally._

"F4!" Someone else shouted. "It IS them!"

The screams that followed were deafening. Soon they had almost everyone on campus flocking to their little booth. The F4 (well, F3, anyway), stood side by side, handing out ballots and posing for pictures as students swarmed their booth.

From the way it looked, Jan Di was certain they would make it to the top ten.

…

"Well, we haven't done THAT in a while." Woo Bin said, as they sat at the coffee house an hour later. Kang San and his friends had stayed on campus to finish up.

"Yeah, I think we're getting too old for that," Ji Hoo observed.

"You think we got enough votes?" Ga Eul asked Jan Di.

"Kang San said a lot of the students voted more than once so those won't count, but I think we should be good to go." She looked at each of them. "Thank you for your help today, everyone."

A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Wait, weren't you guys supposed to be at work today?"

Yi Jung scoffed. "Don't you watch K-Dramas? All the handsome, rich heirs and CEOs just come and go as they please. Hardly any of them seems to actually go to work."

Ga Eul nodded in agreement. "That's actually very true. I always wondered about that."

"Don't you have a piece to finish for your exhibit?" Jan Di asked Yi Jung.

"Wait, you told me you had to go to a charity event today," Ji Hoo reminded him.

"No, I was sure Yi Jung said he had to go to a Dragon Boat race," Woo Bin chimed in.

All of them looked questioningly at Yi Jung.

"Yeah, I had to finish my piece and then go to the charity event after the Dragon Boat race." Yi Jung confidently explained.

"You did all that today? Before coming to see us?" Jan Di asked, incredulously.

"Of course."

"How did you manage all that?" Ji Hoo asked.

"_Anything's possible when you lie_," Ga Eul whispered to Jan Di. Both girls burst out giggling, while Yi Jung glowered at them.

"Oh! We still have the fashion show next week," Jan Di remembered.

"Do I really have to wear it out in public?" Yi Jung looked at Ga Eul. When she nodded he asked, "Why?"

"Ji Hoo said he'd wear one if you did," said Ga Eul.

He narrowed his eyes at Ji Hoo. "What did I ever do to you? Why do you hate me?"

Ji Hoo laughed out loud. "Sorry, bro." Then he turned to Jan Di. "A promise is a promise. Just tell me when."

"The three of us are going to look real silly wearing them together," Yi Jung added, looking from Ji Hoo to Woo Bin.

Woo Bin snorted.

"Umm... Woo Bin sunbae doesn't have to wear one." Jan Di grimaced.

"What? Why?"

"Because Woo Bin was smart." Woo Bin replied. He glanced at his watch and stood up. "Well, I gotta run pick up Hye Jin from work. I'll see you guys later."

Jan Di followed him out to his car, leaving Ji Hoo and the others in the coffee house.

"Thank you." She said, smiling at him. "How did you get them to come anyway?"

Woo Bin grinned. "All it took was a little nudge in the right direction."

It took a few seconds for her to get what he meant.

"You mean they really were _jealous_? Those two? I didn't think Yi Jung sunbae was the jealous type. Come to think of it, neither is Ji Hoo."

She tried to recall an incident where she saw Ji Hoo jealous. She couldn't think of any, not even when she was with Jun Pyo.

Woo Bin put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Jan Di, just because they don't show it, doesn't mean they don't get jealous. Trust me, every guy gets jealous. Some of them are just better at hiding it than others. Those two, especially."

...

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Ji Hoo asked her as he dropped her off at her house that evening.

"I don't know." Jan Di sighed. "A part of me is terrified. But a part of me knew this day would come."

Ji Hoo held her hands in his. "He just wants to talk."

She nodded, still uneasy.

"You'll be fine. Jun Pyo's... grown up. I think... it will be okay."

Jan Di couldn't sleep at all that night. She tossed and turned in bed, anxious and troubled. Thoughts of Jun Pyo's temper plagued her mind. It was too late to back out now. The date had been set. She'd have to face him sooner or later. It was better that it be sooner, she guessed.

She was a bundle of nerves when Ji Hoo dropped her off at the Shilla hotel the next day. She sat there, waiting for him, trying her best to stay calm.

Of course, Jun Pyo HAD to be late for their meeting.

Was he doing it on purpose? She wasn't sure. She was about to think she'd been stood up when all of a sudden, a movement by the entrance caught her eye.

And that's when she saw him.

Her first instinct was to run and hide, but her body stayed glued to her seat.

_Run!_ Her mind urged her. _Hide! _

Then their eyes met and she knew it was too late. He started walking towards her, and all she could do was watch him.

_Here we go._

…


	10. Chapter 9

"_Some things are meant to happen, just not meant to be. Some things are meant to come into your life, just not to stay."_ \- Trent Shelton

**Chapter 9 **

Jun Pyo walked towards their table, head held high, steps assured and confident.

Jan Di was panicking inside.

It had been so long since she last saw him... was it a year now? More? Even though she agreed to this plan, and had rehearsed what to say to him, now that the moment was at hand, she felt very ill-prepared. What was she thinking? What would he say to her? What if he was still angry?

Panic overwhelmed her.

The closer Jun Pyo got, the more she couldn't breathe.

Her phone beeped and she hastily glanced at it.

It was a message from Ji Hoo.

"_Breathe, Jan Di. Breathe. It will be okay._"

She decided to take his advice and take some slow, deep breaths and let her shoulders relax a little as she straightened herself on the chair. She was glad Ji Hoo could still hear her panic alarm when she needed him.

She noticed that her left hand was shaking furiously, as it always did when she was extremely nervous. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine Ji Hoo beside her. She imagined him holding her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, the way he'd always done in the past when she was on edge.

_You got this. He just wants to talk._ She told herself.

At least that's what Ji Hoo told her when he asked her if she would like to meet with Jun Pyo. He was only in Seoul for a short time, so she couldn't put it off for long. She reluctantly agreed, mainly because she'd been wanting to talk to him, too.

Ji Hoo had booked the restaurant at Jun Pyo's request.

She composed herself as Jun Pyo sat on the chair in front of her. His face was blank so she couldn't tell what he was thinking, and he gave her a cursory glance before turning to the approaching waitress. The waitress came over and asked him for his drink order.

Jun Pyo hastily scanned the drink menu. He looked up at the waitress, flashing her a bright smile. "What's the most expensive bottle of wine you guys have?"

The waitress opened the menu and pointed. "This one, Mister Gu Jun Pyo."

Jan Di couldn't help but see the price tag of the wine she pointed at. Her eyes went so wide she forgot where she was for a few seconds, but she managed to compose herself at the last minute.

Unfortunately, her brief surprise did not escape Jun Pyo's notice.

He smirked. "I'll take that, then." Looking at her, he added: "Since, you know, Ji Hoo's paying for this entire meal."

She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. The waitress bowed politely, then went off to get Jun Pyo's bottle of wine.

"You're late." She told him, trying to sound as casual as possible.

_Wait, that's it? You haven't seen or spoken to him in a year and that's what you say first? _She mentally berated herself. Queen of conversation, she definitely was not.

He shrugged. "You know me. I like to make an entrance."

She made a face.

Jun Pyo continued on as though they were just old friends meeting again after a long time. "Ever been here before?"

She shook her head.

He arched an eyebrow. "Really? You'd think Ji Hoo would have taken you here at least once." He was looking right at her.

Jan Di looked away. "It's not really my thing." Plus, they didn't really eat out a lot. Their dates mostly consisted of doing stuff outdoors – a picnic here, a bike ride there. Their meals were mostly takeout, or street food, or her favorite – meals they made together. That is, when they could get time away from the hospital.

Jun Pyo looked outside the window. "I felt like having hansik*, and I like this restaurant." He cast a sweeping glance around the room. "I'm glad Ji Hoo booked us a table here." His face suddenly turned smug. "Ji Hoo's lucky I wasn't craving French food or we'd have gone to the Pierre Gagnaire. Then your eyes would probably have fallen out of its sockets by now." He lowered his voice as if telling her some secret. "Compared to that place, this one's _really _cheap."

She sat there, unsure of how to respond or react. Were they really having a normal conversation? She was bracing herself for something... she just wasn't sure what. His wrath? His accusations?

When will the ax fall? Why was he so... calm?

The waitress arrived with Jun Pyo's bottle of wine. She poured him a glass, looked at her questioningly, and then set the bottle on the table after she shook her head.

"You don't drink anymore?" Jun Pyo asked, an eyebrow arched.

"It's too early for wine," she lied.

Truth be told, she was still quite embarrassed at her behavior the last time she drank and got carried away. She had just received her first paycheck from the hospital so she decided to celebrate with Ji Hoo. Ji Hoo was drinking with her at first, but stopped after he noticed how quickly alcohol was affecting her. She couldn't remember much of that night, but her last memory was... pretty much trying to kiss Ji Hoo in the car. And it wasn't the romantic, gentle kiss you read about in books and daydreamed of. It was quite slobbery, sloppy and ungraceful (plus she was sure her breath reeked of alcohol) and she was certain she was making embarrassingly slurred declarations of love to him too.

She vaguely remembered declaring love for _every single thing_ in the car...

_I love you, door! _Then she would give it a kiss.

_I love you, seat! _Another kiss.

_I love you, box of tissues! _Smack!

_And you too, you soft, comfy head rest._

_Oh, and I love you, Mr. Gil!_

She had tried to give Mr. Gil (Ji Hoo's driver) a kiss but thankfully Ji Hoo pulled her back before she could. Because if hazy memory served her right, Mr. Gil looked very, very uncomfortable and maybe even a little horrified.

She woke up the next day with the world's biggest headache, in her room, on her bed, still fully clothed. She found a note from Ji Hoo that said, "_Call me when you wake up. Drink lots of water today._"

She couldn't bring herself to call him that day, embarrassed as she was, so he had appeared at her front door with a bowl of hangover soup. He made her finish every last drop of the soup, and stayed with her until her headache went away. She tried to apologize for her behavior, but he just told her there was nothing to apologize about. She promised him she would never get carried away with liquor again. He had just laughed and told her at least she wasn't an angry drunk, but a rather entertaining one.

"It's never too early to drink," Jun Pyo stated. He swirled the wine in its glass a little, gave it a little sniff, and then took a long, languid sip. He looked at the wine. "Not bad," he said. "At least Ji Hoo will be glad to hear he paid a small fortune for good wine."

Jan Di just sat there staring at him. She had no idea what to say. Was she even supposed to say anything? She knew nothing about wine.

The waitress came and took their food order – and Jun Pyo ordered for both of them.

The meals came one course at a time, each course looking more beautiful than the next. The appetizer was light and crispy crackers and dried jujubes. They looked fancy, and Jan Di found the jujubes so ridiculously addicting that she couldn't help but pop one after another in her mouth while Jun Pyo watched in fascination.

Next came the chestnut puree, with shaved chestnuts on top. Next they brought out scallops, then crabmeat and pine nut porridge, then a couple of hot pot dishes that made her mouth water.

Jan Di lost count after course 7. Everything was delicious and plated exquisitely, and the portions were just small enough that she didn't feel stuffed, and big enough to satisfy her stomach.

She was so busy admiring and eating her food she didn't realize Jun Pyo was staring at her.

"What?" She asked, nervously. She hastily wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"It's good to see you again, Geum Jan Di."

She looked at him, trying to gauge his sincerity.

He meant it.

"You too," she replied. "You... look good, Gu Jun Pyo. Really good."

He really did.

She was terrified that when she saw him he would look like a mess. Like the time she ran away from him many, many years ago. She never saw him then, but she heard stories. She was afraid he'd look worse than that.

But she was wrong.

He smiled and lifted his chin up proudly. "Don't I always?"

She couldn't help but crack a smile. It was nice to see a glimpse of the arrogant Gu Jun Pyo.

"So," he began, as he took another sip of wine. "I heard you and Ji Hoo are going to Canada for a bit."

The question surprised her, as she wasn't expecting him to ask about their future plans.

"Yes, in a few months, actually."

"What do your parents think of that?"

"They're really excited about it."

Jun Pyo gave her a questioning look.

"They're coming with us. Not right away – Ji Hoo's got someone looking for a place for us and my parents are coming a few weeks after we get settled."

She chuckled as she remembered her mother freaking out about going to Canada at first. She kept asking questions like, "Are we going to live in an igloo?" Or "Do they have cars there? What about electricity? Is it true it never stops snowing there? I heard polar bears roam around like stray dogs? What if I get eaten by a bear?"

Kang San found it funny at first, but after two days of her mother freaking out like that, he finally decided he'd had enough. He sat his umma and appa down while he showed them videos and pictures of Canada. They were still not happy about how cold it got in Canada during the winter, but Ji Hoo had suggested he could just send them somewhere warm (like Mexico or the Caribbean or back to Seoul) if they wanted to escape. This seemed to placate them.

"Your parents are going to stay with you two newlyweds?" He said, disbelief apparent in his tone.

She made a face. "Yeah. We need someone to look after me after the surgery. And umma didn't want us to hire a nurse or caregiver there. Ji Hoo's got some work lined up so we don't know what his schedule would be like."

It amazed her how easily she answered his questions. It was like they were two old friends catching up on life. There was no tension in their conversation.

"What about their business?"

"It's doing really well. In fact, they hired two full time workers a few months ago. My parents don't have to work as hard now."

Jan Di thought about her parents.

They'd just discovered travelling for leisure – just to the surrounding towns and cities for now, but they seemed to enjoy it. Kang San was also excited to have the house to himself when they leave for Canada. Her umma kept threatening to install a security camera in the house, but Kang San just scoffed and said he could easily find a way to disable them.

Ji Hoo's house would be well taken care of, since they had people who came to clean it every week. Grandpa Yoon would be coming to Canada as well, though only for a few weeks at a time, as long as his health allowed him to. He was still strong enough to travel, though Ji Hoo and Jan Di often worried about his health. They were only going to be in Canada for maybe a year (or less), until she had recovered enough from her surgery that she didn't need to see the specialists as often anymore.

"Are you scared? Of the surgery?"

Again, Jan Di's face registered surprise. Ji Hoo must have told him.

"A little. But the specialist is one of the best in his field, so my chances are pretty good." She gave him a small smile. "I can't wait to be able to swim again. I miss it so much."

She saw a flash of something register in his eyes but he looked away so quickly she might have imagined it. Was it regret? Hurt?

"Sorry about your shoulder." Was all he said next.

"That wasn't your fault." She tried to reassure him. "And it happened a long time ago." She had never blamed him for it, and she never would.

A few minutes of silence followed. Jan Di started getting tensed again as she clasped her hands on her lap. Gu Jun Pyo just sat there looking at her, face stoic. Jan Di almost hugged the waitress when she came over to ask if they needed anything else.

"I think we're good," Gu Jun Pyo answered. The waitress bowed low, thanked them and left.

"But the bill," Jan Di began, then she remembered that Ji Hoo was supposed to pay for it. Besides, she didn't think she wanted to see the bill.

"Shall we go?" Gu Jun Pyo asked, and Jan Di realized he had already stood up.

She hastily grabbed her purse and started walking with him towards the elevator.

"Where are we going?" She asked, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Just for a walk."

The valet had Jun Pyo's car ready when they got outside. He tossed the keys to Jun Pyo, and he urged her to sit in the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?" She asked again.

"Just get in. You'll find out soon."

They drove around in silence. Jan Di noticed a black car following behind them. She was still not used to it, but Jun Pyo seemed oblivious to it. She sat there, hands on her lap, eyes fixed outside her window but not really seeing anything. She glanced at her phone.

"_You okay?_" A text from Ji Hoo.

"_Yes, don't worry._" She texted back. Was she really okay?

"_Okay, I'm at the stables visiting Rui. Call me when you're done and I'll come get you._" Was his reply.

She stole a glance at Jun Pyo. His eyes were focused on the road; his face seemed deep in thought.

_What is he thinking about? Is he okay?_

When they finally stopped, Jan Di took stock of her surroundings.

And froze.

She looked up and saw the big "N" on the tower.

Namsan Tower.

Where she and Jun Pyo had their first date what seemed like a century ago.

So many memories of this place... And not all of them were good.

"You coming?" Jun Pyo called out, as he held the door open for her.

…

***Hansik** refers to traditional Korean food, centered on rice, served alongside a bowl of soup and a variety of side dishes


	11. Chapter 10

"_So__ you go about your life," she said, "and I'll go about mine. And the next time we see each other, everything will have changed but everything will be okay."_ \- Sue Zhao

**Chapter 10 **

If having dinner at a posh restaurant was awkward, walking around Namsan tower with Jun Pyo was even more so.

Why were they there? To bring back memories? Jan Di wasn't sure why Jun Pyo took her there.

She walked slowly, each step feeling heavier than the last.

Jun Pyo stopped walking to wait for her to catch up. "You look like you're about to throw up. Were you always this uptight?"

Jan Di frowned at him. "Were you always this observant?"

He laughed at her, amused. His eyes took on a glazed look, like he was recalling something from far away. He thought about their times together - she had always seemed like she was holding back, like she couldn't be herself around him. He'd seen her with Ji Hoo plenty of times. Seen her laugh and smile a lot, even have fun.

Slowly, he shook his head. "You were never really comfortable around me, were you?"

Jan Di's face softened and she sighed. "It's not that..."

He held his hands up to stop her from continuing, as he walked towards the railing where thousands and thousands of 'love locks' adorned it. For a brief moment he wondered whether Jan Di and Ji Hoo had a lock there with their names on it.

He looked out at the Seoul skyline – it looked eerily beautiful, even at this time of day, even with the slight smog covering the city.

Jan Di followed and stood beside him. They both looked at the city in silence for a few minutes.

His gaze wandered to the corner railing where he had sat that cold winter day waiting for her. Their first date. He thought he was going to freeze to death.

"Do you know what was funny?" Jun Pyo began, not looking at her. "I was angry at first. I let that anger fuel me for many months. I was so angry I wanted both of you to suffer. I wanted you guys to fail. To come groveling to me for forgiveness. Then I realized I wasn't angry at you guys. I was angry because I lost. Isn't that weird? A part of me knew it was bound to happen, but I was way too proud to admit that it did."

_This is it_, Jan Di thought. She exhaled, tension slowly leaving her body. She'd been bracing for this, not knowing when he'd bring it up. Now that it was here, she found herself able to breathe normally again.

Jun Pyo continued as Jan Di listened in silence.

"A part of me hoped you would come back. That you'd just show up in New York like you did in Macau. You'd arrive and beg me to take you back. Tell me you made a mistake. That you were just confused because we were apart for so long. I waited for a few months, ready and angry. But when you didn't come, and all I got were calls and texts from Ji Hoo, that's when I knew. I knew that it was really over. You were never coming to get me. Not without him, anyway. Not the way I wanted you to."

Jan Di wasn't sure if Jun Pyo wanted her to answer, but he kept talking so she just listened.

"It eventually got better you know, without any sort of explanation. One day I just woke up and realized I was no longer upset. I was no longer mad or hurt. I even found a slither of peace in the monotony of my day."

He turned to face her, and she thought she could see neither hurt nor pain on his face. It made her feel a little better inside.

"I had a lot of time to think about our time together. I realized that I never really made an effort to get to know you. I just barged into your life and tried to fit you into mine. I just assumed that you'd find a life of luxury with me way better than the life you had. I didn't really give you much of a choice. I thought and thought about it, and I realized I don't know much about you. It was always about me and what I wanted, wasn't it? I don't even remember once asking you what you wanted." His tone became sad, and Jan Di felt a stab of guilt in her chest. "There I was, the great Gu Jun Pyo, in my own little world. If the guys hadn't told me what happened to your shoulder, I wouldn't even have known about it. I was so preoccupied with my own issues I was blind to all the suffering you went through. All the things my mother put you and your family through. What a self-centered, inconsiderate brat I was."

She opened her mouth to speak, but Jun Pyo shook his head.

"Don't tell me. It's not me, it's you, right?"

Jan Di looked sadly at him. "No, Gu Jun Pyo. It just wasn't _us_." She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "You were good to me, and I will always be grateful for what we shared. But I think you realize this as much as I do now, that we just weren't right for each other."

The corner of Jun Pyo's mouth curved upward. "I told myself before that if I couldn't have you, I'd rather you end up with Ji Hoo. If it couldn't be me, let it be him. Though that was a lot easier said than done, wasn't it?"

She nodded, a small smile appearing on her lips.

"Why did it have to be Ji Hoo?" He whispered out loud. "If it had been anyone else, anyone at all, I would have kept fighting for you. But Ji Hoo..." He trailed off, and then he turned to face her. "Tell me honestly. Are you really happy with him?"

She met his eyes. "Yes. More than I ever thought possible."

Jun Pyo's eyes showed no surprise, as if he was expecting her to answer as much.

She looked at him, this man she used to love. "Gu Jun Pyo. If you can love the wrong person that much, just imagine how much you can love the right one. Someday, someone will come into your life and love you the way you deserve."

She thought of Jae Kyung, of what Ji Hoo had told her about them. _Maybe she's already there_. But she didn't say this out loud.

"Do you know why I took you here?" Jun Pyo asked, looking around him. There was a group of high school students taking pictures near them, and he watched them in amusement. "I wanted to see how I'd feel being here with you again. We have so many memories of this place."

It was the place of their first date. And the place where she told him she couldn't marry him.

She tilted her head to the side. "How do you feel being here with me?"

"I thought I'd feel angry. Or upset. Or pain. But I feel none of those."

She looked at his face. It was true.

"Could it really be?" Jun Pyo asked, though it was more to himself than directed at her. He searched deep inside him, looking for feelings of anger, or hurt, or even longing. He found none of those.

He was sure that when he first saw her again, he would run to her and beg her to come back to him. He thought the feeling of longing, of wanting her back, would overwhelm him. He thought the pain of losing her and seeing her again would crush him.

But none of those things happened. It puzzled him. Instead, after spilling his thoughts to Jan Di, he felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

He felt... at peace.

He turned to face her. "I think I really am okay now."

She gave him a small smile. All her fears and worries about him dissipated.

He started walking towards the tower, and Jan Di followed, feeling ten times lighter than when they arrived.

That is, until they reached the cable car.

Surprisingly, it was empty – as though it was waiting for them to get there.

"I reserved this earlier." Jun Pyo explained, as though he just reserved movie tickets online. He stepped into the car while Jan Di hesitated.

She stepped in, slowly, cautiously, and was surprised the car didn't move at all once they were inside.

"Don't worry, it's staying put." Jun Pyo stated, his eyes fixated at the bottom of the car.

Jan Di froze as she followed his eyes. It was the writing he scribbled on the car the night they got stuck there.

It said:

"_Gu Jun-__pyo +__ Geum Jan-di_  
_Our first night!_"

There were other 'graffiti' written all over the car now, but she could still make out his handwriting.

Memories of that night came flooding back to her. It brought a smile to her face. But that was all it was for her now - a memory.

"I wrote that to make sure you never got married to anyone else." He said, his eyes still focused on the writing. A corner of his mouth ticked upwards. "That was the immature, selfish, Gu Jun Pyo." He took a pen out of his pocket and bent down to write something. When he was finished, Jan Di's eyes widened.

Beside the original writing, he wrote:

"_Our last day._

_Today we part as friends._"

Then he looked at her and said, "Now you can marry my best friend."

He stepped out of the cable car, while Jan Di stood speechless. She slowly followed him out, as a group of waiting tourists eagerly rushed into the now-available cable car.

Could they really be friends after all that? She wasn't sure, but she would hold on to the slither of hope that it could be possible. Ji Hoo and Seo Hyun were still good friends (more like brother and sister, to be honest). In fact, Min Seo Hyun was coming to their wedding and bringing her new beau.

Only time will tell, she guessed.

"Do you regret it?" Jun Pyo asked, watching the cable car move away.

Jan Di's thoughts finally recovered, and she looked at him in a new light. This Gu Jun Pyo in front of her was not the same selfish Gu Jun Pyo that she met many, many years ago. He had changed a lot.

"No. I will never regret what happened. Everything that happened brought us to where we are now. Brought us to the realization that we have now. Made us into better people, I might add."

He scoffed at that. "I was already great, you know."

"You still are." She tilted her head as she looked up at his towering frame. Had he gotten taller since the last time she saw him?

She stepped forward and gave him a hug, and this surprised him so much he took a step back.

"Thank you, Gu Jun Pyo. Thank you for the love you gave me. Thank you for everything we shared. I will always treasure those memories."

"That Ji Hoo is one lucky guy," Jun Pyo muttered.

"Not as lucky as I am."

"Are you just saying that because he's not here?"

"Aren't I supposed to say stuff like that when he's around so he can actually hear it?"

Jun Pyo made a face. "Aish. Your arguments remind me of another annoying person in my life."

She smiled at that. She had a pretty good guess on who that could be.

…


	12. Chapter 11

"_You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear."_ \- Oscar Wilde

**Chapter 11**

"Did you miss me?" Ji Hoo grinned from ear to ear as he walked towards his longtime friend. "Because I sure did miss you."

Rui's head bobbed up and down and the horse whinnied excitedly as it saw Ji Hoo approach.

"Sorry I haven't been around much," he said, as he gently stroked Rui's white mane. "Life has been hectic lately. Oh, but I had a patient from Japan the other day and his name was Rui too! He was a sweet little boy. He wasn't feeling well so his mother brought him to the hospital. Turns out he just had the common cold so I told his mom how to take care of him and sent him home to rest." Rui nudged him playfully and Ji Hoo laughed as he gently touched his forehead to Rui's nose. "I missed you too. I'm going to be a married man soon, you know? I get to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love. It's going to be real busy the next few weeks but don't worry, we'll still come visit you."

"Do you always tell him your life story?" A voice called out behind him.

Ji Hoo turned towards the voice and his eyes widened. "Hey! What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit my best friend." Jae Kyung grinned.

Ji Hoo was taken aback by her reply. Sure, they became closer when he visited them in the United States, but it wasn't what you could classify as best friends. They hadn't even spoken since then, other than the text message Jae Kyung sent him announcing she and Jun Pyo were coming to Seoul for a visit.

Jae Kyung seemed to notice his slight surprise. "Aigoo... did you think I was talking about you? I mean, I like you and all, but we're not quite at the best friend level yet." She looked amused as she pointed a few stalls to the right of Rui. "I have a horse here too. I figured she must be missing me."

_Ah_, Ji Hoo breathed a sigh of relief. _Okay, that makes sense now. _

She took a few steps towards the stall, looked admiringly at the excited horse inside it, and beamed. "Ji Hoo, meet my best friend." She grabbed a brush and started stroking the beautiful black thoroughbred mare. "Her name's Sushi."

Ji Hoo raised an eyebrow. "You named your horse Sushi?"

Jae Kyung laughed. "Why not?" Her face brightened as she looked at her horse. "She was a gift from my father when I was young. I've always wanted to have a pet named Sushi, but I wasn't allowed to have a dog or a cat. Not even a goldfish. So when my father gave me a horse and told me it was the only pet I'd ever have, I knew exactly what to name her." She wrapped her arms around the horse's neck. "I've missed you, my friend." She raised her chin at Ji Hoo. "Sushi's a pretty fast runner. Don't judge a horse by its name."

Ji Hoo raised his hands in the air. "Hey, I never said she wasn't. She's a beautiful horse."

"And what can _your unicorn_ do?" Jae Kyung teased, but there was no malice in her voice.

Ji Hoo's mouth dropped open. Did she just call Rui _a unicorn_?

"Rui's a pretty good runner too." Ji Hoo had won many races on Rui.

Come to think of it, he'd only ever lost that one time to Jun Pyo. Sometimes, he still wondered how Jun Pyo beat him at that race.

"Care to go for a quick run?" Jae Kyung challenged.

Ji Hoo hesitated for a few seconds. He hadn't raced Rui in a while. Could his horse still handle it? He looked at the white stallion and whispered. "What do you think? Do you want to go for a run?"

The horse seemed to understand him. He whinnied and bobbed his head up and down, scratching the ground with his front left hoof.

Ji Hoo laughed. "Okay, okay, we'll go." He looked at Jae Kyung, who was saddling her horse with the help of one of the workers.

"We're in." Then he paused, reconsidering. "But only for a quick run. We'll have to walk with them for a bit just to give them some rest."

He heard no arguments from Jae Kyung. She simply nodded her head. Her horse wasn't that young anymore, either. She knew not to ride her too hard.

Ji Hoo carefully saddled Rui, whispering comforting words to it as he did so. His heart raced excitedly. He hadn't done this in a while. Rui made a light snorting sound, indicating that he was also excited about this.

"Ready?" Jae Kyung asked, from atop her saddle.

"Ready." Ji Hoo grinned, as he led Rui outside.

…

They started at a slow trot, which turned into a steady canter, and after a few minutes, once they were sure the horses were ready, went on to a full gallop.

The fresh air greeted Ji Hoo with a cool embrace. He closed his eyes and smiled, savoring the feel of the air on his face.

Jae Kyung squealed in delight – it was obvious she had missed this too.

_I wish I could do this every day_, Ji Hoo thought. He felt so free, so exhilarated, as he rode.

They slowed down to a walk after a few minutes, each horse walking steadily side by side.

"So, how do you feel about this whole meeting thing?" Jae Kyung asked.

Ji Hoo knew she was talking about the meeting taking place at Namsan Tower that very moment.

"I grew up with him, you know." He said, instead of answering her question.

The gravel path they were on had been evenly graded. There were some mature trees scattered around, and to their right was a steep drop lined with rocks.

"I can't cut Jun Pyo out of my life. And I can't forbid... no, I won't forbid Jan Di from talking to him. I can't deny the fact that they have a history together. But Jun Pyo is like a brother to me. And if I want Jun Pyo to be a part of my life, and I do, I have to expect that the two of them will talk and see each other, whether it's now or sometime in the future."

"You're not worried?"

When Ji Hoo didn't answer, Jae Kyung continued. "You must trust her a lot."

Ji Hoo gave her a sad smile. "If I can't trust her, then I have no business being with her."

He stopped and got off Rui. Taking a piece of carrot from the saddle bag, he fed it to Rui, who swallowed it in one gulp. The horse nudged him excitedly, asking for more. Ji Hoo laughed and grabbed another piece and fed it to him.

"That's the last one for now, okay?" He said, as he stroked Rui's mane.

Jae Kyung got off her horse and reached for her saddlebag. She took out two apples and gave one to Sushi. She went to Rui and held the apple up on her palm. Rui gobbled it up excitedly and sniffed Jae Kyung's palm for more. She laughed at this.

"I wish I could be as brave as you," Jae Kyung said, as they started leading the horses back to the stables.

"You were brave enough to let go of Jun Pyo back then," Ji Hoo reminded her.

She smiled bitterly. "He was never mine to begin with. You can't really lose what you never had." She heaved a deep, heavy sigh. "I don't know what I want anymore."

"Anything worth having is worth waiting for, so don't rush things." Ji Hoo advised. "It won't be easy. There will be times when you'll feel like giving up. But when it finally happens, I guarantee you it will be worth it."

"You know, Jun Pyo's really lucky he has you guys," Jae Kyung said. "At least he grew up with friends. We travelled so much when I was little I didn't get a chance to make friends." She gave a bitter laugh. "Chen was pretty much the closest friend I had growing up. And let me tell you, she can be quite scary when she's mad."

Ji Hoo didn't doubt that at all, having met Chen, Jae Kyung's personal bodyguard.

"A lot of people envy us for what we have." Jae Kyung continued. "Money, fame, status. What they don't realize is we often envy them for what they have: family, friends, freedom. The world is funny, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I guess it is."

Jae Kyung was quiet for a few minutes. Then she turned towards Ji Hoo. "Can I ask you something personal?"

Ji Hoo nodded.

"How did you know Jan Di was eventually going to pick you?"

He gave her a crooked grin. "I didn't."

"So you waited all that time not knowing?" She laughed to herself. "I don't think I could ever be that patient. Or hopeful." She cocked her head to the side. "What would you have done if she hadn't picked you?"

"The same thing I have always done." This time his smile had a hint of sadness to it. "Be there for her. Be a friend. To both of them."

"Even if you loved her?"

"_Especially _because I loved her." Ji Hoo stopped to give Rui a drink of water. Jae Kyung decided it was a good idea and gave Sushi one too. The horses drank eagerly, and then started nibbling on the grass in the ground around them. They decided to let the horses nibble for a few minutes.

"I'd prepared myself for that, you know. I knew that she loved him and that she'd probably always look at me as a friend. But the thing is, it didn't matter to me _if she loved me or not_. What mattered is _I loved her_. And because I loved her, I vowed to make her smile, to make her happy – whether or not I'm the reason for it."

Jae Kyung was nonplussed. She opened her mouth to say something but Rui started nudging Ji Hoo, pushing him forward.

"You want to go back now?" Ji Hoo asked his horse, as he stroked its nose. To her he said, "We should probably head back. I told Jan Di I'd come pick her up when they're done."

She simply nodded and followed him, still in awe. _What I wouldn't give for someone to love me like that_, she thought.

...

"Oh yeah, Mister Rogers says hi, by the way." Jae Kyung grinned, as they walked towards the stables.

Ji Hoo remembered the nice old security guard at Jun Pyo's New York building. "Tell him I said hello also. He was nice." Weird, but nice.

Jae Kyung's smile widened. "You got quite a fan club growing there."

"Huh?" Ji Hoo was confused.

Jae Kyung pulled out her phone and brought up a Facebook page. "See here," she pointed, and Ji Hoo's eyes widened as he recognized his awkwardly smiling face. "Apparently, you're a K-Pop star."

He couldn't help but laugh at that. Him? A K-Pop star? What would Jan Di think of that? What would his friends think of that? They'd probably make fun of him.

"You really made his day, you know? He keeps bragging to people that he met a celebrity. AND he created a Facebook page just so he could show people." Jae Kyung started laughing, playfully giving Ji Hoo a push. "You should see how livid Jun Pyo was when he found out! He was all like, 'He should be asking me for MY autograph!'"

They both laughed hysterically at this, an image of a red-faced Jun Pyo flashing in their minds. They were so busy laughing they didn't notice two people staring at them looking non-too impressed.

Jun Pyo and Jan Di stood at the entrance with their arms crossed in front of them. Their brows were knitted together and their mouths were set in a straight line. If Ji Hoo and Jae Kyung were paying closer attention, they'd probably see a small hint of jealousy registered on their faces.

Ji Hoo and Jae Kyung stopped in their tracks.

"You guys look like twins!" Jae Kyung observed. She glanced at Ji Hoo and saw his face light up.

_He looks at her like she's the best thing in the world,_ Jae Kyung thought, enviously.

Ji Hoo walked towards Jan Di, with Rui in tow. "Were you waiting long?"

"No, not really." She uncrossed her arms and beamed at him, slight jealousy completely forgotten.

"You should have called me to come get you."

She shook her head. "Jun Pyo offered to drop me off and I thought you needed some more time with Rui."

"Thank you." Ji Hoo said, as Rui excitedly nudged Jan Di. Jan Di giggled and patted Rui's head. "Rui says thanks too."

He turned to Jun Pyo. "Thanks for dropping her off."

"I had time." Jun Pyo answered. He turned to Jae Kyung.

"What are you doing here, Monkey?" Jun Pyo asked.

"Grocery shopping, what else?" She replied, and saw him scowl. "Hey, you're the one who asked the obvious."

She turned to Ji Hoo and Jan Di. "I'm starving. Let's go get something to eat. I know a place close by and I've been dreaming about their Samgyeopsal* since we got here."

Ji Hoo looked uncertainly at Jan Di. He didn't know how Jan Di's meeting with Jun Pyo went. He could only guess that since Jun Pyo dropped her off, it must not have been too bad. He wanted to talk to her about it though.

She gave his hand a little squeeze. Then she smiled at Jae Kyung. "We'd love to come, unnie." She was still full from lunch, but found herself unable to say no to Jae Kyung's request.

"Great!" Jae Kyung hooked her arm on Jan Di's and the two girls walked ahead while Jun Pyo gave Ji Hoo a dumbfounded look.

_Déjà vu?_ His face seemed to say.

Ji Hoo shrugged. _I guess we'll have to see._

...

* * *

_Author's Note: *__Samgyeopsal__ consists of grilled slices of pork belly meat that are not marinated or seasoned. They are commonly dipped in seasoning made of salt and pepper mixed in sesame seed oil, and then wrapped in lettuce along with grilled slices of garlic, grilled slices of onion, shredded green onions, and kimchi. I had it in Korea and it was delicious!_


	13. Chapter 12

_"The most memorable people in life will be the friends who loved you when you weren't very lovable."_ \- Unknown

_..._

**Chapter 12**

Ji Hoo and Jan Di were almost at his car when their phones rang at the same time. They exchanged puzzled glances before picking up.

"Hey Ji Hoo, you guys busy?" Woo Bin's voice came from the other line.

"We're just about to go for dinner with Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung." Ji Hoo answered.

"Really? Can we come? Hye Jin's been asking to meet Jun Pyo. I'm just picking her up right now."

Ji Hoo looked at the car in front of him. Would they mind if Woo Bin and Hye Jin tagged along?

Jae Kyung seemed pretty laid back. And Jun Pyo... well, he supposed Jun Pyo probably had no say in the matter anyway.

"Sure." He said, then proceeded to give Woo Bin the name of the restaurant they were going to.

...

Jan Di was talking to Ga Eul on her phone.

"Where are you guys at?" Ga Eul asked.

"Off to dinner." Jan Di answered. She glanced at Ji Hoo, who sounded like he was talking to Woo Bin.

"Perfect! I'm hungry too!" Yi Jung's voice exclaimed. "Is Ji Hoo buying?"

Jan Di laughed. "You make it sound like you have no money."

"Pfft. We both know I have plenty. I just like getting free food. It tastes so much better that way."

She laughed again. She looked hesitantly at Jae Kyung, who was arguing with Jun Pyo about who's driving.

"Sure, the more, the merrier." She said.

…

Jae Kyung and Jun Pyo arrived at a little hole in the wall restaurant around 20 minutes away from the stables.

Jan Di and Ji Hoo arrived shortly after. Jan Di smiled as she saw the restaurant. It was a place she knew they'd be comfortable in (well, she and the girls, at least).

"Table for four please," Jae Kyung requested.

"Umm... you might want to make that eight," Jan Di interjected.

Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung looked at her in surprise.

"The others are coming too." Ji Hoo explained. "I hope you guys don't mind."

"Not at all." Jae Kyung said, while Jun Pyo merely shrugged.

…

Yi Jung and Ga Eul arrived next. They sat across from Jan Di and Ji Hoo.

"Who found this place?" Yi Jung asked, his eyes surveying the restaurant.

Jae Kyung raised her hand. "Guilty."

This seemed to surprise Yi Jung so much it rendered him unable to talk.

The waitress arrived and set some cups of tea on the table. She brought out some of the side dishes for the meal they were having.

"Something smells good." Ga Eul said, licking her lips.

Just then, Woo Bin and Hye Jin arrived.

"I can't believe I beat you here! I told you your car was _slow_." Yi Jung proudly declared.

"Dude, you had a much shorter drive than I did." Woo Bin defended.

"Excuses, excuses!" Yi Jung argued.

Woo Bin just shook his head.

"This is Park Hye Jin," Woo Bin turned to Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung and introduced his girlfriend to them. "Hye Jin, this is Ha Jae Kyung and -"

"Gu Jun Pyo," Hye Jin finished, before Woo Bin could. She had a glazed look in her eyes – just like someone meeting a celebrity they'd admired for so long for the first time. "I'm so thrilled to finally meet you!" She shook their hands enthusiastically and kept bowing multiple times.

Jun Pyo arched an eyebrow and examined Hye Jin. She was small, especially standing beside Woo Bin. But she had beautiful big, brown, round eyes and a haircut that made her look like she was 12. She was very cute and reminded Jun Pyo of a little doll. A delicate little doll.

Woo Bin and Hye Jin sat down across from them.

"You are _way_ more handsome in person." Hye Jin complimented, as Woo Bin's brows shot up in surprise. Jae Kyung choked on her cup of tea. The others just exchanged amused looks with each other.

"Hye Jin, don't make his head any bigger than it already is." Yi Jung said. "Or he'll never be able to find a hat that fits."

Jun Pyo sat up straighter, and lifted his chin. He flashed her a bright smile. "Nonsense. Seems like she's the only one in this group with good taste."

"I think it's more like her eyesight is bad." Jae Kyung snorted. Turning to Hye Jin she said, "You know, I know a GREAT optometrist in Seoul. One of the best. He'll fix your eyes in no time."

Jun Pyo glared at Jae Kyung.

"Ignore her," he said to Hye Jin.

Hye Jin merely smiled, but then her attention went to Jae Kyung, as if really seeing her for the first time. Jan Di guessed she was too excited to meet Jun Pyo she didn't really look at Jae Kyung that hard when Woo Bin introduced her.

"Your girlfriend is SO beautiful," Hye Jin said, pointing to Jae Kyung.

Jae Kyung and Jun Pyo looked at each other, completely taken by surprise.

"Oh no..." Jae Kyung shook her head.

"We're not..." Jun Pyo said, looking at Jae Kyung.

"I'm not..." Jae Kyung tried to say again.

"She's really not..." Jun Pyo stammered. "I mean, she's beautiful but she's not my..."

Jae Kyung looked at Jun Pyo in surprise. Did he just say she was beautiful? Was that a compliment?

Jun Pyo seemed to realize he slipped. "Don't be too flattered. Did you want me to say you're ugly?" He turned away, mumbling, "Anyone with eyes can see you're not ugly."

Jae Kyung stared at him, still in shock. The sarcastic look she always gave him disappeared, and her face softened.

Jan Di could swear she was blushing.

"You guys look really good together. It seems like you two have been together for a while, huh?" Hye Jin observed.

"They even argue like an old married couple," Yi Jung added, winking at Jae Kyung and Jun Pyo.

"What? We're not..." Jae Kyung began.

"That's ridiculous. We're just..." Jun Pyo said, at the same time.

The others watched the two of them fumbling words with great amusement.

"Well, I'm glad I showed up for dinner," Yi Jung whispered to Ga Eul. "This is better than that reality show they always play on tv." He took a piece of lettuce from the table and began munching on it.

Yi Jung, who was sitting right beside Hye Jin, leaned over to whisper something in her ear. "Ask them when they're getting married. They_ love_ answering that."

Hye Jin looked hesitantly at him. "Are you sure? I don't know..."

"Trust me." Yi Jung whispered. "We're among close friends so they won't mind. Go on. Ask them."

"So... when are you two getting married?" Hye Jin asked shyly, at Yi Jung's persistent urging. She seemed to recall something and began to talk excitedly again. "I read online that you guys are in Seoul to scout out locations for your secret wedding."

She was quite oblivious to the fact that the two people she was asking were still completely flushed with embarrassment.

Jae Kyung's mouth opened up to speak but no words came out. The look of surprise on her face was too much for Jun Pyo to handle. He chuckled at the sight.

"You actually got _her_ to keep quiet?" He said to Hye Jin. "I've never seen this woman speechless like this before. That's quite a talent." He nodded at Woo Bin. "I like this one. You should keep her."

Woo Bin just grinned back.

Jun Pyo nudged Jae Kyung. "What? Don't tell me you didn't see that coming? Come on now. Of course the media would say that, given our past history and all. Even _I _saw that coming. And I'm pretty dense most of the time."

"He really is." Ji Hoo agreed. Jan Di had to giggle at that while Jun Pyo glowered at both of them.

"Oh." Hye Jin said, her voice lowering to a whisper. "Is it a secret? Is no one supposed to know?"

Woo Bin chuckled. "Yeah, let's just say it's _so _secret that neither of them even knew about it."

Hye Jin lowered her head. "Joesong habnida*." She said, clearly realizing she might have crossed a line. "Joesong habnida." She repeated, bowing her head.

Jan Di looked at her and felt a little sorry for her. She was the newest member of their little group, and probably feeling a bit insecure. She was meeting Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung for the first time, which was probably quite intimidating, given their status. Jan Di always took that for granted. She'd known them for so long and gone through some pretty interesting times with them, so she wasn't awestruck to be hanging out with them anymore. Ga Eul had also known them for a while. Jan Di knew that if she was in Hye Jin's shoes, she'd probably feel the same. Even though the other three boys were ridiculously wealthy too, Jae Kyung and Jun Pyo were on a league of their own.

"It's no big deal," Jae Kyung said, finding her voice at last. "They write all sorts of things about us. Only 1% of those are true, by the way."

"Except ones that talk about how great I am," Jun Pyo said. "Those are all true."

"Of course they are," Jae Kyung rolled her eyes at him. She leaned in closer to Hye Jin. "Those are the ones he wrote himself."

"Hyah!" Jun Pyo called out, but Jae Kyung ignored him.

"That's not true." Woo Bin protested.

"See, Woo Bin knows." Jun Pyo smirked.

"Yeah, everyone knows Jun Pyo doesn't write." Yi Jung piped in.

Everyone except Jun Pyo began laughing hysterically.

"Aren't you guys supposed to be on my side?" Jun Pyo scowled at his friends.

"Oh, we are." Ji Hoo said. "This is us being on your side, trust me."

"With friends like you guys, who needs enemies?" Jun Pyo muttered under his breath.

The waitress brought out platters of sliced pork belly meat and set them on the table. Jan Di and Ga Eul started grilling the meat, while Ji Hoo and Yi Jung tried to help.

"Just like pork skins, huh?" Yi Jung said to Ji Hoo.

Ji Hoo nodded, while Jun Pyo and Woo Bin looked at them curiously.

"Don't tell me," Jun Pyo said to Woo Bin. "Another interesting story?"

"Oh, I missed most of that one. I came in just to save their butts at the last minute." Woo Bin replied. "But they said the pork skins were good."

"Pork skins," Jun Pyo muttered, mostly to himself. "Next thing you know you guys will be telling me you guys tried to butcher your own chicken to eat!"

Ji Hoo, Yi Jung and Woo Bin exchanged glances before looking back at Jun Pyo.

"Who, us? Never! We would never butcher our own chicken to eat," Yi Jung said.

"Yeah, they'd rather name it and dress it up," Hye Jin whispered, and all three girls burst out giggling.

Yi Jung glared at them. "Don't bring Colonel Sanders into this!"

Jae Kyung looked at the three girls. "Okay. You girls have to tell me that story one day. Deal?"

"Deal." The girls answered.

…

After dinner, the group decided to go for a quick stroll around the Han river.

The girls walked on ahead, arms linked together, whispering to each other, while the guys trailed lazily behind them.

"You know, whenever they do that, I always get the feeling they're talking about us." Woo Bin observed, pointing to the four girls huddled close in front of them.

"Nah. If they were talking about us, they'd be laughing." Ji Hoo said.

As if on cue, the girls burst out in fits of giggles.

"Okay. They're definitely talking about us now." Yi Jung said.

Jun Pyo gave a short laugh.

"What?" Ji Hoo asked, looking from him to the girls in front.

He shook his head. "This is really weird for me. If someone had told me I'd be out here with all of you right now, I'd think they were nuts."

"How come?" Ji Hoo asked.

"I don't know. I just... I thought we'd still be fighting."

Ji Hoo smiled. "Life is too short to fight with people you care about."

"So what's the deal with you and Jae Kyung?" Woo Bin asked, striding up beside Jun Pyo.

"Everyone wants to know, don't they?" Jun Pyo replied.

"Hey, if you can't tell us, who can you tell, right?" Yi Jung said.

The four of them stopped to lean on the railing and stare out into the river. It was dark, but they could see the lights on the bridge and the cruise ship that sailed slowly across the river.

"There's nothing to tell." Jun Pyo answered. "We're just friends."

"Really?" Yi Jung prodded. "It doesn't look like it."

"Okay, fine. Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that I do feel something for her. If I go pursue it and we end up together, do you know who wins? My mother. My mother would win." Jun Pyo's voice took on a hard tone. "I've been trying so hard not to be controlled by my mother for so long I can't give up now."

Woo Bin gave him a sympathetic look. "But Jun Pyo, if you gave up someone you like just to prove a point to your mother, doesn't that mean you've also lost?"

Jun Pyo scoffed. "So either way she wins."

Ji Hoo put a gentle arm on his shoulder. "Then you should stop competing against your mother and start winning for yourself. So what if in the process of making yourself happy it also makes your mother happy?"

"What makes whose mother happy?" Jan Di asked, startling the boys.

The girls had started walking towards them. Ga Eul and Hye Jin stopped a few feet away to check out the river.

"We were just talking about mothers." Ji Hoo answered.

Woo Bin winced. "Speaking of mothers, mine wants to meet Hye Jin."

At this, Jun Pyo made a face, Yi Jung let out a low whistle, while Ji Hoo turned to look sympathetically at Hye Jin, who was taking her shoes off to dip her feet in the water with Ga Eul.

"What? What's wrong with that?" Jan Di asked, looking from one of the boys to the other.

Jun Pyo snorted. "You think my mother's bad. You should meet Woo Bin's mother. She makes my mother look like the tooth fairy."

"Wow. That bad, huh?" Jan Di found it hard to imagine someone that could make Madam Kang look like a fairy.

"Let's just say my mother won't dare cross his mother." Jun Pyo said.

Jae Kyung arched an eyebrow. "How come Korean moms always seem so eager to give away their daughters, but no one is ever good enough for their sons, huh?"

"That's not true. My mother likes you," Jun Pyo blurted out. Everyone turned to look at Jun Pyo. He bit his lip and scolded himself. Another slip of the tongue.

"What's not to like?" Jae Kyung teased. Then her smile disappeared. "She likes what I represent. You know what I mean."

"So, when are you going to introduce her?" Yi Jung asked Woo Bin.

Woo Bin looked pained. "I don't know yet. I'm not sure they're ready to face each other."

Jun Pyo gently patted Woo Bin's back. "If you ever need tips on _what not to do_ to make it worse, just give me a shout."

"Gee, thanks Jun Pyo." Woo Bin said, sarcastically. "That helps a lot."

"Hey, we should take a picture!" Ga Eul's cheery voice called out. She and Hye Jin had put their shoes back on and were walking towards them.

The boys merely shrugged.

"We should take one of the four of you!" Ga Eul suggested. She took her phone out and got it ready. "Come on, guys!"

The four boys looked at each other and then huddled closer. (From left to right: Woo Bin, then Jun Pyo, then Ji Hoo and Yi Jung).

Arms around each other, they all smiled as Ga Eul snapped a couple of shots.

"Make sure you get my good side!" Jun Pyo called out.

"Not me," Yi Jung said. "Every side is good."

Woo Bin snorted. "Of course it is."

"We need a group picture too!" Ga Eul said. "Who knows when we'll get this chance again, huh?" She frowned. "But who will take it?"

"Leave it to me." Jae Kyung grinned. "Chen!" She shouted. "I need y-"

Chen, Jae Kyung's personal bodyguard, seemed to appear out of nowhere and was beside Jae Kyung before she even finished speaking.

Everyone but Jae Kyung jumped and yelped in surprise.

"Where in the world did she come from?" Yi Jung whispered, still clutching at his racing heart. "I almost had a heart attack!"

Jae Kyung handed her phone to Chen. "Please take a picture of us."

Chen merely nodded.

The girls stood beside their men, and all eight of them smiled for the camera.

(This was how they stood from left to right: Hye Jin, Woo Bin, Jae Kyung, Jun Pyo, Ji Hoo, Jan Di, Ga Eul and Yi Jung.)

"Everyone say '_Fighting!'_" Ga Eul called out.

"FIGHTING!" Came a chorus of happy voices.

*CLICK*

...

* * *

_Author's note: __Joesong__habnida__* = I'm sorry_

**Warning:** Lots of JanHoo fluff up next. You have been warned! :)


	14. Chapter 13

"_The one who loves you will never leave you. Even if there are a hundred reasons to give up, they will find one reason to hold on." _\- Unknown

**Chapter 13**

Jan Di woke up in pain.

Her stomach was cramping something fierce. She winced as she tried to stand up and go to the kitchen. Every month, she had to deal with this kind of cramping, and one would think she would be prepared for it by now. But no, it took her by surprise every single time.

She opened the drawer and took out some ibuprofen. She knew she should be taking it with a meal so as not to upset her stomach, but the pain was almost too much for her to bear so she swallowed the pill and hoped for the best.

_Sometimes, doctors don't heed their own advice._ She thought, glumly.

She shuffled back to her bed and laid down for a bit, waiting for the medication to take effect.

One consolation she had that day was that she didn't have to go to work. In fact, she and Ji Hoo had a special date that night. He was going to take her to a fancy restaurant – one that was ridiculously hard to get reservations for. If it weren't for Grandfather Yoon's connections, they wouldn't have been able to get in.

They normally didn't go out to fancy restaurants, but Ji Hoo suggested since she went to a nice restaurant with Jun Pyo, he wanted to take her to one, too. She fretted about what to wear on their date and told him she probably didn't have anything nice enough for it, but he answered in typical Ji Hoo fashion that anything she wore would be nice enough for him.

"Noona!" Kang San's voice called out from outside her door.

She couldn't even bring herself to shout back at him. She lay there, eyes closed, wishing for anything to make the pain go away.

"Noona?" Kang San opened her door an inch. "Are you okay?"

"Mmmhmm."

"There's a package for you." Kang San walked in and placed a beautifully wrapped box right on her night stand. "Do you need anything?" He asked, looking at her with concern. Since Jan Di and her friends helped Kang San in the preliminaries, Kang San had been nothing but nice to Jan Di.

She shook her head. "Thanks." She managed to choke out.

As soon as he left, Jan Di tried to sit up and reach for the massive white box.

It had a bright blue sparkly ribbon wrapped around it. And a card taped to the front.

"_I knew you wouldn't stop worrying about what to wear tonight, so here's a little present_."

It was signed by Ji Hoo.

For a moment, the cramps disappeared and she couldn't help her excitement as she opened the box.

She gasped as she took out the dress.

It was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen (well, aside from her wedding dress). It was a lavender, off-the-shoulder floor-length dress, made up mostly of tulle, with lace appliques all over the bodice. Underneath the dress was a pair of heels that went perfectly with the dress.

Her excitement about their date that night intensified. Forgetting the pain for a moment, she tried to imagine how to fix her hair to complement her entire outfit.

_Maybe I'll put it up. That would show off my shoulders and neck. Ji Hoo would like that._

She sat there, daydreaming, until she realized the pain was gone. Her mood had already improved significantly and now that the pain was gone, she felt that she could conquer anything.

Noting the time, she decided to run some errands around town. Their date wasn't until 6:30 that evening, which gave her plenty of time.

Somewhere around two o'clock that afternoon, once all her errands were done, Jan Di decided to go to Ji Hoo's house for a visit. She had over 4 hours before their date, and she only needed an hour to get ready.

She knew he wouldn't be home (she had called his housekeeper, who she now knew by name, and confirmed).

She arrived at his house shortly after, and Mrs. Si, Ji Hoo's housekeeper, greeted her with a warm welcome. The people who worked at Ji Hoo's house always showed up after Ji Hoo had left, though mostly out of habit now. Ji Hoo seemed to be okay with seeing one or two of them at a time, but the workers were so used to him being gone that they seemed uncomfortable working when Ji Hoo was there. Jan Di got along with most of them, though. She even tried to help them once, much to the horror of the cleaners. When she told them Ji Hoo had been trying to learn how to do some household chores, they panicked and thought they were going to be laid off. Jan Di had to assure them that was not the case.

"The young master just left." Mrs. Si told Jan Di. She was the kind of woman whose smile made you feel right at home. "He said he was going to the gallery."

Ji Hoo owned several art galleries scattered throughout the country, as well as the Suam Cultural Foundation and Suam Arts Center. She didn't care which gallery he was going to, as long as it kept him away for a couple of hours.

"Thank you," she replied, as Mrs. Si bowed politely and left her alone.

Jan Di walked slowly to the piano and sat down.

For the last month and a half, she had been sneaking into his house when he was away and practicing a song on the piano. She was planning to surprise Ji Hoo for their wedding. She had no doubt in her mind he was going to play something for her too.

She began to play and sing. She saw Mrs. Si sneaking glances at her now and again, nodding her head in approval. She knew she was getting better and better at it. Ji Hoo had been giving her lessons whenever they had time.

She chatted with Mrs. Si for a little bit, as she always did whenever she visited. Her gaze fell on to the clock on the wall. She had been there for a little over an hour, so she decided it was time for her to go. She had just gotten to the door when a car pulled up and Ji Hoo stepped out.

She froze in place. Her eyes went to Mrs. Si, who was also looking wide-eyed as Ji Hoo stepped into the house.

"You're here!" Ji Hoo greeted, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "What are you doing here?"

Mrs. Si took a hasty bow and disappeared. Jan Di often wondered if the cleaners had a secret closet somewhere they hid in when Ji Hoo showed up suddenly like this.

"Umm...I was looking for you." She fibbed, trying to sound convincing.

He looked at his watch. "You're way too early for our date. I thought I was supposed to pick you up?"

"You... are," she stammered, her mind thinking of excuses to say. Excuses he'd believe. "But I... really missed you so I thought I'd drop by and say hi." She smiled widely at him. "So... hi! And now I have to go. Bye!"

"But..." Ji Hoo tried to say.

The pain hit her so suddenly she doubled over.

_Oh no. _

The pain had come back. She had been so preoccupied the last few hours she forgot to take the medicine again.

"What's wrong?" Ji Hoo bent down to examine her, his face full of concern.

He helped her towards the couch and sat her down.

"Cramps," she managed to whisper. It was back with a vengeance.

It took him a few seconds to grasp what she meant. He stood up, went to the kitchen, and handed her a glass of water. In his hand was the same type of ibuprofen she had at her house.

"Did you eat?" He inquired, holding the pill in his hand.

"Yes. I grabbed a sandwich before I came here."

He handed her the pill and she gulped it down.

Her face contorted in pain.

Ji Hoo seemed lost in thought for a moment, then he took her hand and sat her in the dining room. He took a pillow and placed it on the table. She crossed her arms and leaned her head on it while she sat. He disappeared for a minute and came back with a heating pad, which he placed on her stomach.

"Thanks." She muttered, as the heat warmed her stomach. The warmth of it slowly seeped into her skin, and she felt a little better.

He pulled up a chair and sat beside her. "May I?" He asked, pointing to her lower back.

She nodded, her head comfortably plopped on the pillow.

He made a fist and started massaging her lower back.

Her face relaxed as the pain slowly ebbed away. It felt good to have someone massage her back. (Especially if that someone was Ji Hoo.) She closed her eyes, grateful to have someone take care of her.

_I could get used to this._

_..._

She woke up on his bed, her nose picking up his scent everywhere she turned her head. She kept her eyes closed, savoring the smell of him on his pillow. He smelled like cinnamon and clove, with hints of oranges and vanilla.

_He smells like Christmas!_ She thought, giddily, as she jammed her face deep into his pillow. She giggled like a little girl, taking long, deep breaths as she pretended it was him in her arms.

She didn't know how long she was doing that until she felt the sensation that she was being watched.

Slowly, she pulled the pillow away and opened her eyes.

And saw Ji Hoo sitting on the chair beside the bed watching her, both brows raised in amusement. He had a book open on his lap and his glasses sat comfortably atop his nose.

Blood rushed up to her cheeks and she wanted to bury herself into the pillow once more, this time for a different reason.

"Umm... your... um, pillow smells nice. What kind of laundry detergent are you using again?" She hoped it was dark enough in his room so he wouldn't see how flushed she was.

He shrugged. "I haven't attempted laundry again since the last mishap." He closed the book, took off his glasses, and placed both of them on the table beside him.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, as if he didn't just catch her sniffing the life out of his pillow.

"Better." The pain was gone. She sat up, slowly, as he handed her a glass of water which she slowly drank until the last drop.

She looked at the time. It was 6:45 pm.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed, her face filled with horror. "Our dinner! Our date! We're late!"

She jumped out of bed, her mind racing. "Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked, panicking.

Her dress was still in her house. She could change quickly. She wouldn't have time to do her hair, though, so she'd have to leave it as it is.

Maybe if they hurried, they might just make it?

She looked at the time again.

If they left now... they'd still be late.

"You needed the rest." His voice was calm.

"But our dinner..." How could she have slept for over 3 hours? Was she _that_ tired?

"I called them and cancelled."

Her face fell. "I'm so sorry." She knew how hard it was to get reservations there.

"Don't be. We could always go there some other time."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

She sat down beside him and winced. "You even got me a dress..." She began, but her stomach interrupted her with a loud rumbling noise.

He arched an eyebrow. "Hungry?"

"A little."

His face lit up and he smiled at her. "Good."

_Huh?_

He took her hand and led her outside to his backyard, and she gasped when she saw it.

He had set up a small round table in the middle, draped with a red tablecloth, white cloth napkins, and dishes and cutleries meticulously arranged on top. (She guessed Mrs. Si might have helped him _a little._) He pulled up a chair and she sat down, agape. There was a small vase in the middle with a single white rose in it, and two simple red tapered candles that he lit up when they got there. The candles gave out just the right amount of light to make it romantic.

"We couldn't go to the restaurant, so I brought the restaurant to you." He explained, as he sat down opposite her. He pulled out his violin, which he had tucked under the table, and started to play.

He only had to play the first three notes for her to know what song it was.

It was her song, the song he had written for her that Christmas when she was still a medical student. He had written it for the piano, but now he played the whole song on his violin. She knew each note by now, and though the violin sounded a little different, it was still the most beautiful song she had ever heard, and stirred so much emotion in her that she thought her heart would explode.

"Now you can pretend we're at the restaurant."

She beamed at him. She knew that she would trade a date on any fancy restaurant for the date she was having now.

In a heartbeat.

"This is nice." She observed, unable to stop smiling.

"Wait here." He stood up and disappeared inside the house for a few minutes.

Jan Di tilted her head, curiosity making her want to follow him. He came out ten minutes later, holding a plate that he set down on the table.

"Ta da!" He announced, looking quite proud.

She looked at the dish he had placed. Balls made up of rice, vegetables, and seaweed were carefully laid out on the plate.

"I tried making gimbap* because I know that's your favorite." He explained. "But I couldn't quite roll it properly so I just ended up turning it into these balls."

She saw that he had even made little faces on the balls of rice – using carrots, eggs, and cucumber for the eyes, nose and mouth.

"You made this? While I was sleeping?" She couldn't believe that while she slept for three hours Ji Hoo was busy in the kitchen making her favorite dish. Gimbap was tricky to roll, and she marvelled at him for trying.

"Well, I've been wanting to try it for a while. Oh!" He stood up and went back inside the house.

He came out a few minutes later carrying a tray with two bowls of soup.

She giggled. "You made me ramyeon too?"

"The soup should be good for your stomach." He paused for a moment before adding, "I hope I didn't overcook the noodles."

Jan Di was speechless.

She noticed that Ji Hoo was waiting for her to start, so she took out a piece of his 'gimbap' and ate it.

It was delicious.

"It's really good." She remarked, mouth full.

"Really? You really like it?"

She nodded, and grabbed another one. She didn't notice how ravenous she was until now. They ate together, laughing about nothing, until both Jan Di's stomach and heart were full to bursting.

A few minutes after he had cleared the table, he got out of his chair, bowed his head slightly, and held out his left hand to her. "Would you like to dance?"

She took his hand and stood in front of him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he gently placed his hands on her hips.

He frowned.

"What's wrong?" She tilted her head to the side.

"We don't have any music." He looked at her apologetically. She supposed he couldn't play AND dance at the same time. She was about to tell him it was okay, when he started humming a soft, sweet melody.

After about twenty seconds, he began to sing the words out loud.

.

"_I never thought we would get to this part_

_I never expected you to capture my heart_

_You are the dream I never knew I wanted_

_You are the love I never thought I'd need_

_Some days I still can't believe it_

_Sometimes I still think I'm dreaming_

_But here we are together_

_It's a dream __come__ true_

_I guess some things are just meant to be_

_._

_No matter what life threw at us_

_We made it this far_

_I guess some things are just meant to be_

_._

_I'm so happy we were meant to be..."_

_._

Her eyes widened, and she stared at him in astonishment.

"Did you... Was that..." She stuttered, unable to finish her sentences.

He gave her a shy smile. "I'm not quite done with it yet, but yeah, it is."

The song for their wedding! She knew he was going to do something like this but it took her by surprise all the same.

Stunned, all she could do was stare at him as she shook her head repeatedly.

Overwhelmed with joy, her eyes began to leak.

Ji Hoo's brows knitted together when he saw her face. He wiped her tears with his thumbs, ever so tenderly, the way he had always done, even though Jan Di mostly cried tears of joy now.

"You are the sweetest guy I have ever known." She held his gaze, drowning in the warmth of those eyes.

He pulled her in close and she laid her head on his chest as they swayed together, almost as one, though now there was no music to be heard.

Sometimes, you don't even need music to dance.

She wished the night would never end. That she could just freeze time right then and there.

"I can't wait to marry you." She whispered, only realizing she'd said it out loud when she felt him stiffen.

"You know, you probably shouldn't say things like that when there's only the two of us here." He teased.

"Why's that?" She teased back, pulling away to look at his face.

She could swear she saw him blush right then.

"Aigoo... are you blushing right now?" She said, playfully nudging him. "Mr. Yoon Ji Hoo, what are you thinking of, huh?"

He cleared his throat and looked away, face redder than the tablecloth in front of them.

"You ARE blushing! Look at how red you are!" She teased. She loved making him blush.

He turned to face her and tried hard not to smile. "You just wait, Miss Geum Jan Di."

"Wait for what?"

"Payback's coming real soon here." He winked at her. "_Real soon_."

Now it was her turn to blush. He laughed when he saw her face.

"I've been meaning to ask you – how was your meeting with Jun Pyo?" He asked, changing the subject.

"It went well," she answered. Then she told him everything that happened and what they talked about.

"Were you worried?" She asked, smiling coyly at him. (Jan Di was certain if she smiled anymore her jaw would fall off.)

"Do you want me to tell you the truth, or can I lie a little?" Ji Hoo asked.

When she didn't answer he admitted, "Maybe a little."

She took his hands and held it with hers. They stood there, face to face, gazing at each other.

"Mister Yoon Ji Hoo..." She began, her voice soft and tender. He was staring straight into her eyes and making her heart do enough flips to qualify for the Olympics. "He is my past, but you are my future. Some people search their whole lives to find what I found in you. There's no way I'm giving that up."

He smiled from ear to ear – the smile that made Jan Di's heart skip a beat.

The smile that sometimes made her forget about her name.

The smile that she loved so much.

"Can I tell you a secret?" She asked, her voice flirtatious.

He raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Go ahead."

"Your smile is literally the cutest thing I have ever seen."

This made him smile even wider (if that was even possible) – and his entire face _glowed_. If someone ever asked her what happiness looked like, she would say it was how Ji Hoo looked at that exact moment.

He stood behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Can I also tell you a secret?" He whispered, and she nodded nervously. She could feel his warm breath on her neck, which sent all sorts of thoughts through her…thoughts that would make even Yi Jung blush.

"I only smile like this when I'm with you."

He turned her around so they were facing each other, and his smile disappeared. His face became serious as he gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His eyes slowly scanned her face, as if memorizing every inch of it.

His dark brown eyes softened, and he leaned closer, tilting her chin upward slightly with his finger.

Her heart raced in silent anticipation.

Ever so gently, he planted a kiss on her forehead.

Then at the tip of her nose.

She closed her eyes just as their lips met.

And then the world slowly melted away into nothingness...

…

…

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_*Gimbap is a Korean dish made from cooked rice and other ingredients that are rolled in gim—dried sheets of nori seaweed—and served in bite-sized slices._

_Hope you liked that huge dose of fluff! Here's a little fun fact: I just found out that I can't paste song lyrics here so the song in this chapter was actually written by me! I had around 5 minutes to come up with it so I hope you liked it (plus I had to rewrite that entire section). _

_So at the request of novembershowers I started a Pinterest board for this story: _www. pinterest. ca / cutestuff024 / hishe-short-story-series / part-3-the-return _(No spaces! Check it out and let me know what you think!) _


	15. Chapter 14

"_Fall in love with someone who doesn't make you think love is hard." - Unknown_

**Chapter 14**

A loud knock on her bedroom door woke Jan Di up bright and early next morning. Her shift was later in the afternoon, and she was hoping to sleep in. She turned on her stomach and pulled the pillow over her head, pretending she didn't hear the banging on her door.

"Jan Di!" Her mom's shrill voice called out. "Jan Di, you have a visitor!"

Jan Di sat up suddenly. A visitor?

_Is it Ji __Hoo__?_

No, her mother wouldn't call him "a visitor". In fact, her mother started calling Ji Hoo "her favorite son" a long time ago, much to Kang San's dismay and annoyance.

"Who is it?" She called back, yawning.

"That pretty one who came to stay here a long time ago."

Jan Di thought for a minute. "Who?"

Her door opened and a head poked in.

"Wake up, sleepyhead! The day is half over!" Jae Kyung sang.

Jan Di jumped out of bed, realized she was wearing her old pajamas, and hurriedly put on a robe.

"Unnie!" She greeted, frantically running around her room trying to tidy up. She wasn't a very messy person to begin with, but she'd been reading some medical journals the night before so papers were strewn all over her desk.

She saw her reflection in the mirror, her hair messy and face covered in drool. She turned to face Jae Kyung, embarrassed.

"Unnie, do you mind waiting for me in the living room? I need to umm... wash my face and get dressed."

"Sure thing! I have all day."

She got ready in record time, all the while wondering what could have brought Jae Kyung to her house.

"Want to go for a drive?" Jae Kyung asked.

"Sure, but I have work later this afternoon."

"We'll be back by then. I'll make sure of it."

She got into the back of the waiting black car and sat beside Jae Kyung.

"Where are we going?"

Jae Kyung grinned. "Do you want to go to the beach?" When Jan Di nodded, Jae Kyung gave instructions to her driver.

"Is everything ok, unnie?" She asked, feeling a small sense of dread.

"Yes. I just wanted to hang out. I haven't really had a chance to spend time with you since I got back. So I cleared my schedule today and here I am!"

They arrived at Eurwangni Beach exactly an hour later. It was the closest beach to Seoul, located in Incheon near the International airport. It was a small beach, but due to its proximity to the airport, always extremely crowded. The black car parked in front of a private area away from the general public. They got out and Jae Kyung started walking down the steps towards a huge cabana. She followed and nervously noted a few guys in black following them.

Jae Kyung noticed her discomfort. "Don't be nervous. Just pretend they're invisible. I always do."

She looked around. "Is Chen here?"

Jae Kyung leaned closer to her. "Chen is always around. But she's mastered the art of camouflage." She pointed to a mound of sand a few feet to their right. "For all you know, she could be in there hiding, ready to pounce at the first sign of danger."

Jan Di gulped nervously, and Jae Kyung started giggling. "I was kidding! I sent her to the beach house across the street to get us some drinks."

"Unnie! Don't scare me like that!"

"Aww, don't be scared of Chen. She's really a sweetheart, once you get to know her."

The ocean spread out before them as far as her eyes could see. There were no crowds where they were. She could hear the waves roaring and feel the breeze ruffle her hair. It was so peaceful that she couldn't help but feel relaxed. She took her shoes off and closed her eyes as she felt the cool sand under her feet. The shade of the cabana protected them from the blazing heat that descended on the city.

"Is this okay?" Jae Kyung asked.

"Thanks, unnie. It's perfect."

"How have you been?"

"I'm good. It's been real good."

"Excited for the wedding?"

"A little. And a little nervous too." She turned to face Jae Kyung. "You're coming, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for anything." Jae Kyung beamed. "I am, after all, your bridesmaid."

"Thanks, unnie."

A few minutes of awkward silence followed. Jan Di stared at the water before her, watching some fish jump not even twenty feet in front of them.

Jae Kyung took a slow, deep breath in. "Jan Di, I wanted to talk to you today to apologize, and explain, since I didn't get a chance to before."

"For what, unnie?"

"For what I did before. You must have thought I was a horrible person to ask you to be my bridesmaid then, huh?" Jan Di opened her mouth to answer, but her friend went on. "I was so confused. And uncertain. I figured I should keep you close, you know, to watch you. I didn't think you'd show up, to be honest. When you did, I thought that maybe you wanted to persuade Jun Pyo not to go through with it, or maybe, just maybe, you were there for me." Jae Kyung's eyes took on a far away look. "Either way, I wanted to see what you'd do. Both of you meant a lot to me so it tore me up to choose between friendship and love. I waited to see if you'd try to stop the wedding. When the last minutes ticked by and you still hadn't made your move, that's when I knew. You'd chosen friendship over love. And then I realized what I had to do. So I decided to choose friendship too." She laughed, bitterly. "It wasn't like I ever had love anyway. _He loved you._" She shook her head, sadness in her eyes. "I had to choose what kind of person – no - what kind of friend I had to be. So I gave up what I wanted because I knew I didn't deserve it." She turned to face her. "I'm sorry for what I put you through. I really am."

"It's okay, unnie." Jan Di placed a hand on top of Jae Kyung's. "Everything happened for a reason. I'm glad for all the things I went through. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for those."

Jae Kyung didn't answer, but she laid her head on Jan Di's shoulder.

"I liked him way before he liked me, you know." Jan Di admitted, deciding to open up to Jae Kyung.

"Who? Jun Pyo?"

"No, Ji Hoo."

"I had a crush on him since I first saw him. He was just so different from the other three that I couldn't help but be drawn to him. He was like, this beacon of light at Shinhwa. And it didn't help that fate kept bringing us together." Jan Di reminisced the past. "But he was in love with someone else then. Someone I wasn't even on the same league with. Someone I could never, ever compete with. Then one day, at my urging, he left. He left to go after the woman he loved. That was when I became closer to Jun Pyo. When Ji Hoo came back, I was so confused."

"What happened?"

"Long story short, I ended up with Jun Pyo. Ji Hoo left us alone. But I always felt some type of guilt being around Jun Pyo. It was like I owed him something, you know? He took me to expensive places, and showed me a world I never knew existed, or that I could ever be a part of. It was exciting at first. Everything happened so fast, and Jun Pyo, well, he doesn't really take no for an answer. I'd never been pursued like that before. Then we ran across so many obstacles in our relationship. I thought that was how love was supposed to be. I thought love was _supposed _to be hard. That the reason we were facing all those hardships was that it was somehow a test of our love – and we had to overcome it no matter what because we were meant to be. But during our years apart, when we were free to be together, that's when I slowly began to realize that I was wrong. I began to question myself."

Jan Di looked up at the sky, closed her eyes and smiled.

"It's kind of like when you've lived in the city your whole life you get used to the smog and think that that's how air is supposed to be - it's supposed to smell like that, and feel like that. Then one day, you go into the country and you breathe in that fresh air, and it feels so good... so refreshing. Your senses come alive and you think to yourself, 'This feels good. I didn't know that the air could feel and smell this way. I like this feeling. I've been missing this feeling.'"

As if on cue, the breeze picked up and carried the smell of the ocean to them.

"Or at night in the city you see some stars, and you think that's all there is to it, but you get outside the city and you see hundreds and hundreds of them that you never knew existed and it almost takes your breath away. And you start to realize that what you're feeling right then is so wonderful, so organic, and exactly what you need in your life. That's how our love was for me. I thought it was right, but it didn't feel healthy. It didn't feel natural. It wasn't for me." Her tone became sad as she said this. Jun Pyo loved her, she never doubted that. And she loved him. But it wasn't the kind of love that was sustaining – neither was it healthy for both of them.

"The thing is, deep down, I _knew_ what love I needed. I _knew_ what it felt like. I've had someone who loved me all along – the way I _needed_ to be loved. I just never saw it until later. All that time, I had the kind of love that most people could only dream about. The kind you only read in books. The kind that makes your heart sing."

Jan Di couldn't believe she was telling Jae Kyung all this. But she wanted to tell someone how she felt, and why she chose Ji Hoo in the end. Ga Eul understood her without the need for an explanation, but Jae Kyung was probably surprised at what happened. Besides, Jae Kyung had asked her not to break up with Jun Pyo unless they had her permission. It was too late to ask her for permission now, but she wanted her to understand anyway.

She remembered their trip to New Caledonia – the time she and Ga Eul went to see that fortune teller.

"You know what's funny? I had a fortune teller tell me once that my husband and my soulmate would not be the same person."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It confused me for the longest time. I knew who my soulmate was. My soul felt whole every time I was with him. So if he was my soulmate, then Jun Pyo was meant to be my husband."

Jan Di grinned at Jae Kyung.

"But you know what? She was wrong. _I _decided to be in charge of my own fate. _I_ get to decide who's who, not anyone else."

Jae Kyung nodded in understanding. "So, when did you and Ji Hoo fall in love?"

"We didn't really fall in love."

Jae Kyung raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"You might say we kind of _grew_ in love. When you fall in love, you can fall out of it, or it can get broken. When you grow in love, you can only get stronger. Everything that happened to us contributed to that love."

Jan Di paused for a moment, thinking of Ji Hoo through the years. _Her_ Ji Hoo.

"Ji Hoo was there for me through the best and worst times of my life. When I look at it now, I realize that the only reason I survived all the hardships I went through with Jun Pyo was because somewhere deep in my mind I knew that Ji Hoo would be there for me. He never asked me for anything back, nor did he ever make me feel like I owed him something. I never felt pressured to be anyone else. I just had to be me. I just had to be Geum Jan Di." Her eyes had a twinkle that made her whole face shine. "I looked at him as a friend until I realized I loved him."

She gave Jae Kyung a lopsided smile. "And you know what I learned after all that?"

"What?"

"You will never have to force anything that's meant to be."

Jan Di looked at Jae Kyung. She was hoping her unnie still had lingering feelings for Jun Pyo. "Unnie, Jun Pyo is a wonderful guy. He loves passionately with all his heart. But his love is like an all-consuming fire – it's fierce, wild, and uncontrollable most of the time. Jun Pyo needs someone who can handle his fire, who won't always cower and be afraid of him, who can handle him at his worst... I just wasn't that person for him."

If Jun Pyo's love was like fire, then Ji Hoo's love was more like water: calm, soothing and constant. Jan Di knew it was exactly what she needed. After all, if there was anything in this world she loved the most, it was the water. Everything about it felt right to her, made her feel happy and alive.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Jae Kyung asked, suspiciously.

"I really want Jun Pyo to find someone who will love and stay with him, who will bring out the best in him. I want him to be happy. He deserves that."

"Jun Pyo and I are at a weird place right now," Jae Kyung said, her eyes on Jan Di's. "I threw myself at him before, you know. I practically begged him to be with me. It was sad, and pathetic, but I really liked him so I didn't care." Her face was full of regret. "That was not who I am, and I didn't like it. I don't want to make the same mistake again." She looked away, out into the ocean. The waves were getting higher, white caps were starting to form on them. "Jun Pyo is different now, though. But so am I. I told myself I wouldn't throw myself at anyone ever again. So if he wants to be with me, he's going to have to make the effort. But for now, I'm okay with just annoying the crap out of him. We'll see where it goes from there." She sighed, deeply. "Both of us have made so many mistakes. We still have a long way to go."

Jan Di leaned her head on Jae Kyung's shoulder. "Unnie, nobody is perfect until you fall in love with them."

Jae Kyung looked at her with great admiration and respect. "You know, you really have grown up, Geum Jan Di." She gave Jan Di a tight hug. "I'm really happy for you. I think you and Ji Hoo are going to be very happy together."

She hugged her unnie back, just as tight. "I think so, too."

…


	16. Chapter 15

"_For I have found the one whom my soul loves." _Song of Solomon 3:4

**Chapter 15:**

Woo Bin took a deep breath before glancing at Hye Jin. She was sitting near the door of the Starbucks across the street where she worked, lazily drumming her fingers on the table. They were in the rich neighborhood of Gangnam, where skyscrapers dotted the landscape, and the cost of living was almost twice that of Seoul. Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo were also somewhere in Gangnam, and Woo Bin had agreed to meet with them after his coffee date with Hye Jin.

"So... my mother wants to meet you." Woo Bin said, as he set two cups of coffee on the table.

Hye Jin started rubbing her hands on her pants. "Really? That's good, right? It is, right?"

Woo Bin took a sip of his coffee before answering. His eyes darted from side to side, unable to look her in the eye. "I think so. She's been asking about you for a while now."

He guessed it was because she was the longest relationship he'd had, which was funny because they'd only been together a few months. His mother really didn't care who he dated, because he dated A LOT. To her, it was normal for Woo Bin to date around. She never bothered to ask about his relationships because she knew by the time she asked he would probably be on to his next one.

So it wasn't a huge surprise to Woo Bin when his 6-month relationship with Hye Jin aroused his mother's curiosity and attention.

Woo Bin rarely saw his mother, because both of them never stayed home long enough to cross paths. But one Saturday morning, just as he was about to head out the door, he was surprised to find his mother waiting for him in their sitting room.

"And where is my son off to this early in the morning?"

She sat there, back straight as a pencil, head held high. She had her hands crossed on her lap, head tilted slightly to one side, and her piercing brown eyes bore deep into his.

Woo Bin swallowed hard, but shuffled his feet towards her. "I didn't know you were home."

"Now you do."

Her eyes followed him as he sat in front of her.

He scraped a hand through his hair and began rubbing the back of his neck. "Have you been well?"

"Yes. You?"

"I've been well." He answered. It was all formality, he knew. His mother didn't need to ask how he'd been because she always knew. She had eyes and ears everywhere.

"I would like to meet this girl you're seeing. Will you arrange a meeting for us soon?" She watched him closely for his reaction.

His mother always got straight to the point. No idle chit chat required.

Woo Bin knew this was coming; just as he knew that her question wasn't a request, but an order. He just hoped by "soon" she meant in the next year or so.

Probably not.

"Of course. She would love to meet you." He hoped she didn't notice the beads of sweat that had started to form on his forehead.

"Wonderful." She stood up, dusted her skirt, and donned a huge, black sunhat that covered half her face.

"Mother..." Woo Bin called, as she turned around to leave.

She faced him. "Yes, my son?"

"I really like this one."

_Please don't scare her off. _He wanted to say but the words got lodged in his throat.

She gave him a knowing smile. "We'll see."

And with that, she left.

Woo Bin let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. His shoulders slumped, and he collapsed on the couch. He sat there for a few minutes. His mother hadn't always been that cold, but years in the darker side of their business had hardened her.

"What's she like?" Hye Jin asked, cupping her chin with one hand while holding her coffee with her other.

Woo Bin thought of the best way to describe his mother. Something that won't send Hye Jin running off into the woods. "She's... tough."

One didn't become the matron of the Song clan for being a wuss.

"Do you think she'll like me?"

"Of course."

It was a lie, and he knew it. The truth was, he didn't know the answer. He had never introduced a girl to his mother before. He didn't know what she was looking for, or what she would approve of. Having come from an average family herself, he knew she didn't care if he dated an heiress or a commoner.

So what was he afraid of?

Fear of the unknown, he supposed.

"I'd love to meet her."

Hye Jin's words cut into his thoughts and brought him back to the present.

The problem was, whenever he thought of his mother and Hye Jin meeting, he imagined a grizzly bear just coming out of hibernation meeting a cute, little, fluffy bunny who had no idea she's about to be swallowed whole (or torn apart into thousands of cute, little, fluffy bunny pieces).

His phone beeped. He glanced at it and frowned.

A location ping. From Ji Hoo.

Back when Ji Hoo was around 10 years of age, some teenagers decided to have fun with him. They teased and kicked him around, hoping he'd cry. When Woo Bin and the rest of the F4 saw him later that day, he had a purple bruise on his left cheek and several more on his arms and legs. They asked him why he didn't call for help, and found out that the bullies had taken all his stuff. They found the bullies the next day and made sure they never bothered Ji Hoo again, but the F4 decided to implement a plan to protect themselves from then on.

They knew they had many enemies, just because they were rich didn't make them immune. Shinhwa taught many of the rich that lesson.

Hence, they developed a code to send to each other in case of emergencies. They all had a program made that could send their location through the simplest voice command to each other, and this program was integrated into their watches and phones so they had it on them at all times. There were levels of emergencies indicated by a colored X; the two most important ones being yellow (which meant: "Standby and be close, I might need you") and red, which was the highest level of emergency.

He looked at Ji Hoo's location on his phone. He seemed to be moving fast, but not in a straight line. Ji Hoo was still in Gangnam – in fact, just a few streets away.

_Why would he ping me if he's still moving? _

Another beep.

This time, it was a red X.

Woo Bin stood up so suddenly he almost knocked the table over. The color drained from his face. He had never gotten a red X from Ji Hoo before.

"What's wrong?" Hye Jin's eyes widened as she saw his face.

"I have to run. Ji Hoo needs me."

He was out the door before Hye Jin could answer. He dashed outside and called a couple of his men who stood guard.

"Call for backup," he barked. "Let's go! Now! NOW!"

He watched Ji Hoo's location move on his phone, giving directions to his driver to follow. Finally, Ji Hoo stopped moving.

Woo Bin dialed his number.

It rang a few times, but no answer. A feeling of dread crept up from the pit of his stomach.

When he was close enough, he jumped out of the car before it even came to a full stop, and was on his feet running faster than he thought possible.

_Hang in there, buddy. Woo Bin's coming. Just hang in there. _

…

...

* * *

All day long, Jan Di had been having a feeling of foreboding. No matter how much she shook it off, it hung around her like a rain cloud - ominous and threatening.

_Something bad is going to happen today. _

The thought nagged at her all day, and it terrified her.

Everything had been going great in her life: her work was great, Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo were best friends again, she was on good terms with Jun Pyo, her parents and her brother were thriving, and she was surrounded by great friends. To top it off, she was going to marry her Prince Charming soon.

Her life was going so perfect that it scared her.

It scared her because somehow, something inside her told her she was probably due for some bad news soon.

Because of this, she was extra careful about everything she did that day. From the moment she stepped out of her house, she'd been cautious of every step, watchful of every movement.

She could feel it in her bones, and the butterflies in her stomach had turned into a colony of bats. That gnawing sense of dread. It was making her feel nauseous.

Something bad was going to happen. She just didn't know where and when. She needed to be careful.

At the clinic they had a steady flow of patients all day. Jan Di was extra diligent while she worked. Even if it took her twice as long as normal, she told herself she needed to take it slow.

"Dr. Geum Jan Di, are you okay?" One of the nurses asked her.

"Yes, I think so. Why?"

"You seem a little off today."

Jan Di made a face. "Sorry. Just having a weird feeling."

She went inside her office and sat down, contemplating on whether she should just go home and stay in bed until the feeling passed.

Finally, she decided to call Ji Hoo. Ji Hoo always knew how to make her feel better.

"Hey, where are you?" She asked, as soon as he picked up. She began twisting a lock of her hair on her finger.

"Hanging out with Jun Pyo. I'll pick you up later, okay? Guess what we're making for dinner tonight?"

"What?" A small smile played on her lips.

"Sushi! Yup, you heard me right. It's sushi night!"

She laughed at his boyish enthusiasm.

"Sushi? Are you sure we're ready for that?"

"Of course. I have you with me."

She imagined the two of them in his kitchen and her heart began to dance. For a minute she forgot why she called him.

_See, he's already made you forget about your worry._

"So, how's Jun Pyo?"

"Getting a makeover." Ji Hoo chuckled. She heard Jun Pyo mutter a few obscure words in protest.

"For real?"

"Uh huh. I'm not even kidding."

"You guys be careful today, okay?"

"I'm always careful. Why, what's wrong?"

She sighed. Should she tell him?

"Nothing. Just being paranoid, I guess."

Her office door opened and a nurse poked her head in.

"I gotta go," she said. "I'll see you later, okay?"

She hung up, slightly relieved that Ji Hoo would be with Jun Pyo.

Jan Di bit her bottom lip. Was that it? She still had that prickling feeling of unease.

She decided to call her parents. They were just at home watching tv and had no plans of going out that day.

She messaged Kang San. He was in class and promised her he would take extra care walking to and from class and getting on the bus home.

She decided to call Ga Eul.

"Ga Eul! How's your day going so far?"

"Oh, you know. Some kid threw up on me earlier but other than that, it's pretty good. What's up?"

"I'm having this really weird feeling about today."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Like maybe something bad is going to happen. Do you ever get that?"

"Sometimes."

"What do you do?"

"Well, I just hope for the best, I guess. Take extra precaution and watch my step."

"And it turns out well?"

Ga Eul sniggered. "As well as getting thrown up on could get."

She wrinkled her nose. "Sorry about that."

"Hey, I gotta go. But just be extra careful today and you should be fine!"

"I will. You take extra care too, okay?"

"Will do!"

With that, Ga Eul hung up.

Jan Di decided to text Hye Jin, Yi Jung, Woo Bin, and Jae Kyung. They all texted her back that they were fine.

Jan Di dialed one last number.

"Halabeoji!*" She greeted, as Grandfather picked up the line.

"Why, Geum Jan Di! What a pleasant surprise! How are you and my grandson doing?"

She let out a huge breath. Grandfather sounded well. "We're good. He's coming to pick me up later and we're making sushi tonight!"

"Are you, now? Well, you guys best get that perfect because I've had some real good sushi here in Japan so I'll be expecting you two to make me some when I get back!" Grandfather's bubbly voice relaxed her nerves.

"We'll try, Grandfather." She paused. "Grandfather, everything okay with you? How is your trip so far?"

"Good, good. You kids don't worry about me. I'm still as strong as an ox." Came his cheery reply. "I'll be back before you know it. You take good care of that grandson of mine, okay?"

"Always, Grandfather."

Once she'd confirmed everyone was fine, Jan Di flopped on her chair and let the tension slowly leave her body. Perhaps she was just tired. Or being overly paranoid. By tomorrow morning, she would be laughing it off as just a paranoia-induced scare.

At the end of her shift, when nothing had happened still, Jan Di started feeling a little better. She scolded herself for being such a worrywart.

"Hey, I can take that," she offered to the nurse holding a tray full of medical instruments. "I'm headed that way anyway," she reasoned, when the nurse opened her mouth to protest.

She walked slowly to the lab, humming to herself. Her shift was almost over, and Ji Hoo would be waiting for her outside soon.

_He's probably outside already._

She'd have to run to the washroom quickly to wash her face and maybe run a brush through her hair to make sure she looked decent for him. (Not that he cared what she looked like.)

Tonight, they were making sushi! Something they hadn't attempted before. She loved cooking with him and watching him try to figure out a recipe. She thought it cute the way he would mumble incoherently to himself when something went wrong. But most of all, she loved the look of utter surprise (followed by delight) on his face when they were successful.

Heck, they could fry an egg or boil water together and she'd still love every minute of it.

The door to the clinic burst open, and she heard frantic footsteps coming her way.

Jan Di felt a sudden chill engulf her whole body, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Slowly, she turned around.

Woo Bin stood there by the door, hair in disarray, eyes wide and face panic-stricken. He was panting heavily, as if he'd run all the way to the hospital.

_Something's wrong._

"Sunbae..." She began, but stopped when she saw his clothes.

There was blood all over his shirt. His sleeves. His hands. His face.

_Oh no._

Something bad _had _happened.

Did he get into a fight? Was Hye Jin hurt? Maybe it was Yi Jung?

Jan Di's heart started hammering frantically. Her heart beat so loud she almost didn't hear what Woo Bin said next.

"It's Ji Hoo." He choked, his face crumpled in agony. "There's been... an incident. I tried to get there as fast as I could but..." His lower lip quivered and his eyes went to his hands. The cuffs of his jacket were rimmed in red.

_No._

Jan Di's mouth went slack, and her eyes saw only the blood on Woo Bin's clothes.

_That's not Ji __Hoo's__. It can't be his._

Woo Bin's voice broke. "I... I'm sorry. I was too late." He bowed his head and hunched his shoulders. He looked...defeated.

_No. It can't be true._

Woo Bin – who was the strength of their group – looked helpless.

The tray she had been holding clattered onto the floor. Instruments flew everywhere, but Jan Di didn't move. Her whole body had turned to ice.

Her eyes followed the scattering of instruments, looking, but not really seeing anything. She blinked repeatedly, her mind trying to process what she just heard. The room spun, and she held on to the table to keep herself upright. She wanted to ask him what happened, but she failed to form any coherent thought.

"Jan Di..." Woo Bin's voice was almost a whisper, but she heard it as though he screamed it out loud. She forced her eyes to look into his, terrified at what she might see. Woo Bin swallowed hard and his lower lip trembled.

Then he delivered the final blow.

"He's not breathing."

…

* * *

Author's note: Halabeoji* = Grandfather


	17. Chapter 16

"_He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."_ \- Emily Bronte

**Chapter 16**

The display on the window of the flower shop caught Ji Hoo's eye as he walked by. Smack in the center of the display was a massive bouquet containing red roses and pink lotus flowers. Ji Hoo counted _at least _40 blooms before he decided to go in and take a closer look.

He knew he promised Jan Di he would only get her flowers on special occasions, but he couldn't resist buying the bouquet, knowing how much she would love it.

He passed by Jun Pyo's house on his way home. His friend stood outside, arms crossed, brows in a deep V, with his back against his car. He huffed, got into his car, and then slammed the door so loud it rattled Ji Hoo's car as he drove in.

"Going somewhere?" Ji Hoo called out, as he parked right beside Jun Pyo's vehicle.

"It's getting stuffy in there." Jun Pyo gestured back to his house. "I'm going out to get my hair done."

"Where to?"

"Gangnam."

"Ah. I see." Ji Hoo knew Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung were heading back to New York in a few days. He didn't know when his friend would be back in Seoul. Jae Kyung would be coming to the wedding, but Jun Pyo hadn't said anything about it. "Send me the address and I'll follow you in a bit."

Jun Pyo gaped at him. "You want to watch me get my hair done?"

"Why not?" He knew he had time to hang out with Jun Pyo before he had to pick Jan Di up from work.

Jun Pyo shrugged. "Whatever suits you." He took out his phone and clicked a few keys.

"See you in a bit." Ji Hoo called out, as Jun Pyo drove away.

He would have gone with Jun Pyo right then, but he didn't want to leave the flowers in the car for several hours. His plan was to drop it off at his house, ask Mrs. Si to make sure it didn't die, then head off to wherever Jun Pyo was.

He arrived in Gangnam 45 minutes later to find Jun Pyo sitting inside a small, private salon that he never would have found had Jun Pyo not sent his exact location to him. His always present men-in-black were nowhere to be seen. He knew they were lurking somewhere. Jun Pyo sometimes asked them to forgo the black suits for regular clothing when he went out so as not to draw too much attention to himself. Ji Hoo assumed that was the case there.

This was Gangnam after all, where the rich were in abundant supply. Most of them walked around without guards of any kind.

Parking was scarce near the salon, so Ji Hoo had to park four blocks away. He didn't mind the walk. It was chilly out, and he was glad he wore his long wool overcoat.

The salon had seen better days - the sign at the top of the door was faded, and the exterior was pockmarked with stains. Inside it was small, but at least clean. It wasn't decked out in expensive furniture, either. Ji Hoo concluded there was nothing remarkable about Sunny's Hair Salon.

"You're a billionaire and you go and get your hair done at a place like this?" He teased Jun Pyo.

Jun Pyo snorted. "Look at you talk. You have lots of money and _you cut your own hair._"

He was right. "I don't like other people touching my hair."

Jun Pyo considered that for a moment. "I guess." His eyes swept the small salon. "I like the hairdresser here. Rather than have him come to my house, I thought I'd get some fresh air. Who knows when I'll be back here again?"

A man with pink hair that stood on ends came out and began chatting with Jun Pyo. Ji Hoo decided to sit on one of the comfy-looking brown chairs that lined the wall. He watched as a timid young girl took off Jun Pyo's coat and carefully held it in her arms. She stared dreamily at Jun Pyo, walking backwards so as not to turn her face away from him.

She didn't notice the cup of coffee that was sitting on top of one of the shelves and accidentally knocked it over, spilling the entire contents onto Jun Pyo's grey coat, much to the horror of the young girl.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" The girl whimpered, cowering as if to shield herself from an invisible blow.

"Aw. I just bought that, too." Jun Pyo's mouth twisted, dismay evident in his voice.

The man with the pink hair, whose name was Nam-sun (or Sunny as he liked to be called), whirled at the young girl, and wagged his pointer finger at her. "Mi Sook! I told you to be careful! Now look what you did! That's a very expensive designer coat! Even if you worked your entire life, you would never be able to afford a coat like that!"

Ji Hoo stood up, grabbed some paper towels, and started dabbing the coffee off Jun Pyo's coat.

"I'm sorry." The girl repeated, while she too tried in vain to get the stain out. Ji Hoo could hear her sniffling and saw her wipe her nose with her sleeve.

"It's fine," he said, but the girl wasn't listening to him. She kept glancing at Jun Pyo, her face horror-stricken.

He raised an eyebrow at Jun Pyo, prodding him to say something.

"Don't worry about it. I can always get a new one." Jun Pyo told Mi Sook. "Though I'd still have to wear it outside since it's cold out today."

Mi Sook kept bowing her head while she muttered apologies between sniffles. Ji Hoo felt sorry for her. He held her by the shoulders and forced her to look at his face. "It's fine. He said it's okay. He's not angry. He can buy ten of these if he wants to."

Mi Sook gave him a small nod but lowered her eyes.

"I'll fix it, don't worry." They tried to dry it out while Sunny went back to working on Jun Pyo's hair. Sunny still glared at Mi Sook every now and then, so the poor girl tried her best to avoid eye contact with anyone.

"Hey, why don't you go and take a break?" Ji Hoo suggested. Mi Sook's eyes widened and she gave Sunny a hesitant look.

"Can Mi Sook take a break right now?" Ji Hoo asked, flashing Sunny a smile so bright it would be impossible for him to say no. Sunny rolled his eyes, then shooed Mi Sook away with his hand.

The girl heaved a sigh of relief, gave Ji Hoo a small bow of appreciation, and then disappeared to the back of the salon.

...

_Geez, how long does it take to get his hair done? _Ji Hoo wondered after an hour of sitting there. He had always been a patient guy, but watching Jun Pyo get his hair done was about as exciting as watching paint dry.

His phone rang.

"Where you at?" Woo Bin asked.

"Gangnam. Watching Jun Pyo get pretty."

"You guys have plans?"

"Not really."

"I'll meet up with you guys after, then. I'm in the area so just message me when Jun Pyo's done his makeover."

"Sure thing."

He looked at Sunny, who was humming as he wrapped sections of Jun Pyo's hair in what looked like aluminum foil. "How much longer do you think he'll be?"

"Probably another hour or two."

His mouth dropped open. "For real?"

Sunny crooned at him. "How about you? Do you want to get your hair done, too? I could probably squeeze you in. I would love to get my hands in that hair of yours."

"_You and every other girl in town._" Jun Pyo muttered under his breath.

"Oh no. I'm good. Thanks." Ji Hoo declined.

Sunny stuck his lower lip out. "That's too bad." He grabbed another foil and went back to wrapping Jun Pyo's hair.

_I don't think I can take an hour more of this._

The coffee-stained coat stared back at him like a sore eye, taunting him. An idea started to form in his head.

"Hey Jun Pyo, wanna trade coats today?"

"Why?" Jun Pyo eyed him suspiciously.

"I'll go take your coat to be cleaned. I happen to know a pretty good dry-cleaning service to take it to."

Jun Pyo smirked. "I'm sure you do."

"I'll give it back to you tomorrow."

"Aish, whatever. Take it."

"I'll be right back, okay?"

"Go."

He was sure if he sat any longer, his bottom would merge with the seat. He wanted to do something more productive with his time – like drop off Jun Pyo's coat at Jan-Di Dry Cleaners. He'd be back before Jun Pyo was done.

He put on Jun Pyo's coat. The fur trim around the collar wasn't exactly his style, but it would keep him warm. He only needed to wear it to his car, anyway. The wind chill hit him as soon as he stepped outside. He pulled the hood up, stuck his hands in his pockets, and started the trek towards his car.

He had barely walked two blocks when he noticed he was being followed. Two big guys in hooded jackets trailed a few feet behind him. Still, he wanted to be sure. On the next street, instead of going straight, he turned left. The guys behind him turned left. On the next corner, he turned right.

The guys turned right.

He held up his hand and said a command to his watch: "Ping Woo Bin." It beeped once to acknowledge receipt of his instruction.

To be perfectly sure he was being followed, he decided to enter one of the narrow alleyways he passed by.

One of the guys pointed to the alley and the other nodded.

Yup. He was definitely being followed.

He said another command to his watch: "Red X". His watch beeped again.

He broke into a run as soon as the message was delivered, and he heard the sound of pursuit at his heels. He went in and out of alleyways, unsure of where his car was in relation to his location. He was in an older part of the neighborhood, where the ground was lined with old, uneven bricks instead of smooth pavement. His foot found a hole on the ground that sent him sprawling sideways in agony. His vision blacked out for a split-second, as his mind raced to figure out what had happened.

He bit his lip as he lifted his foot out of the hole.

_Please don't be broken_.

He tried to stand up by bracing himself against the wall, and pain shot up from his ankle.

_I hope it's just a sprain._

The voices were getting louder.

Ji Hoo began hobbling out of there in search of the main road. All he could see were branches and branches of alleys. He kept looking behind him, relieved that he had neither seen nor heard his pursuers in a while. He was beginning to think he'd lost them when something hard smacked him on the forehead. He staggered back, disoriented for a few seconds.

A man holding a two-by-four grinned widely at him. "Going somewhere?"

"Well, now that you mention it..." Ji Hoo replied, trying to sound as calm as possible. His head throbbed, but he knew it could have been worse. The blow was only meant to slow him down, not kill him.

His eyes spied some cars whizzing by at the end of the next alley.

_I have to make a run for it._

Another guy appeared behind him.

Just two. Could he take them on, he wondered? If his ankle would just stop shooting excruciatingly painful messages to his brain, perhaps he could. From their clothing and the way they stood, Ji Hoo figured they were just opportunistic thugs.

Something hot and sticky fell onto his hand and he realized blood was dripping from his head. He touched his forehead and felt the cut, making sure there was nothing embedded in it.

He looked at his clothes. Blood was spattered all over it. He took Jun Pyo's coat off and tossed it aside.

_Sorry, Jun Pyo. I don't think that stain is coming out._

Two more guys appeared in front of him.

_Okay, the odds are definitely not in my favor now. _

One of them was on his phone. "Boss, we got Jun Pyo."

_Did he just say Jun Pyo? _

He looked at the dirty coat and realization dawned on him.

_Oh no. _

"Just come along like a good boy and we promise we won't hurt you."

_Yeah, right. Your buddy just smacked me on the head._

One of the guys grinned at him, showing two missing front teeth. He would have been intimidated if it wasn't for that.

"I'm not Gu Jun Pyo." He said.

"Sure you're not." Another guy sneered.

Ji Hoo wanted to laugh despite his situation. Don't these guys know what Jun Pyo looked like?

"Look." He pointed to his head. "Hair color's even wrong."

"You were just at a hair salon getting it dyed." The third guy remarked.

Ji Hoo's eyes widened in disbelief.

_Wow. Just wow. _

Still, he had to keep talking. He was buying time, he knew it. He was hoping _they_ didn't notice it.

"Do you guys have no clue what Jun Pyo looks like? Didn't you even research that much?"

Blood dripped down his face. He hastily wiped it away.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

His forehead was leaking like a faucet. He knew head wounds bled badly, due to the incredible number of blood vessels situated around it. Even minor cuts or scrapes could produce heavy bleeding.

He also knew he needed to stop the bleeding, fast.

"Nice try." Missing teeth snarled. "The boss told us what you're wearing and what door you went in. All we had to do was wait."

His head was starting to ache. And it wasn't just from the blow earlier, either. "You guys aren't very smart, are you?"

"Huh? Whatcha talkin about?"

"Do you honestly think someone like Gu Jun Pyo would be walking around by himself without his guards?" Ji Hoo gave a harsh, derisive laugh. "Boy, I sure hope you guys don't work for Woo Bin. He'd be so embarrassed when he finds out."

The tallest of the men nudged the short, stocky guy on his left and pointed to the alley they came from. "Go check if his security is in pursuit."

"I told you, I'm not Gu Jun Pyo." He was putting on a calm façade, but he was in full panic mode inside. _Come on, Woo Bin._

"Then why are you wearing his clothes?" Another of the men pointed out.

Ji Hoo mentally kicked himself. _It seemed like a good idea at the time. _"Because I borrowed it from him."

"There's no one around." The stocky guy reported as he got back.

"Something's not right." The tall man said, thinking out loud.

"I'm telling you guys, I'm not Jun Pyo. You're wasting your time."

_Woo Bin, my man, hurry up._

The tall man narrowed his eyes at Ji Hoo. "You look familiar, though." Then he grinned the scariest grin Ji Hoo had ever seen. It sent goose bumps all over his body. "You're one of them, I'm sure of it." He motioned to the others. "Grab him anyway. And try not to hurt him anymore. We don't want complications."

They tried to grab him then, so Ji Hoo fought them off, throwing punches left and right. He knew it was futile, but he wasn't about to go without a fight.

He fought, harder than he had ever fought in his entire life, despite the pain in his ankle. The men fought back, earning Ji Hoo a few cuts on his hands and a bruised rib. He was able to take one of them down before he felt a sharp jab on his left shoulder.

Pain exploded inside his head, and he collapsed on the ground, clutching the sides of his head with his hands. His vision blurred and swirled, rendering him unable to focus. His legs began to numb, and the numbing sensation started creeping up his body. He lay on the ground, feeling quite helpless. He tried to speak, but his speech was slurred. In less than a minute, he was numb from mouth to toe. His eyes, now only able to make out shapes, saw three figures circling him. One must be on lookout.

_What in the world did they inject in me? _

His eyes felt heavy, but his mind fought viciously to stay awake. He could barely open his eyes no matter how hard he tried. His ears still worked fine, though.

_Well, at least the pain in my ankle is gone. _

He heard the men talking amongst themselves.

"Let's go pick him up and throw him in the van."

"But this isn't Jun Pyo! We're supposed to get Jun Pyo!"

"This one's got money, too. We'd still get a lot of money for this one."

"As long as it's not that Song kid. We'd be done if this was the Song kid."

"It's not him. It's another one of them."

"What in the world did you guys do to him? I told you not to hurt him!"

"He fought back!"

"Look at him! The boss is going to be pissed."

Two of the men positioned themselves by his foot. One tried to haul him up by the shoulders.

Ji Hoo struggled but couldn't move. Fear gripped his heart and, for the first time, the possibility of never seeing Jan Di again crossed his mind.

"Someone's coming!" One of the men shouted in alarm.

"LET GO OF HIM OR I SWEAR I WILL BREAK EVERY SINGLE BONE IN YOUR BODY!"

_Woo Bin. _

Woo Bin's voice sounded quite far, but he knew his friend would not let anything happen to him. More footsteps arrived.

_Woo Bin's here!_

Ji Hoo tried to speak. "You guys are in trouble now," was what he wanted to say. But his mouth never moved, and he lay there like a corpse.

The man holding his shoulders let go and ran like mad, followed by the other two. He heard a thud, which he assumed to be his body hitting the ground.

_That's going to leave a mark in the morning._

Woo Bin yelled at his men to follow suit.

"Oh no, Ji Hoo. No..." Woo Bin's voice shook. What a bloody sight he must have been.

_It's not as bad as it looks. _He tried to speak but failed.

_Y__ou made it. You're finally here. Thank you._

That was all Ji Hoo was waiting for. He knew he was safe.

Darkness came and took him, and he succumbed to it willingly.

…

* * *

_Author's note:_

_I experienced something similar a few years ago – my entire body went numb in less than a minute. I went 50/50 at the hospital but eventually pulled through. It was terrifying, to say the least._

_I also sprained my ankle the same way Ji Hoo did. It swelled like a bugger! A year later and my left ankle still has issues._


	18. Chapter 17

"_What's the difference," she asked him, "between the love of your life and your soulmate?"_

_He smiled at her and answered, "One is a choice, and one is __not."__ \- Unknown_

**Chapter 17**

"Are... are you sure, Sunbae?" Jan Di stammered. She was still clutching the table, terrified her legs might give out if she let go.

"When I got there, he wasn't moving." Woo Bin lowered his eyes. "I couldn't feel a pulse, and he wouldn't answer me no matter what I did." When he raised his eyes again, it was cold and hard. He looked ready to punch the wall. "I was furious. I ran after those men as soon as the ambulance arrived."

"What men? They h-hurt him?"

Woo Bin's silence was all the answer she needed.

Jan Di ran to the ER, completely unprepared for the sight that beheld her. Her knees buckled when she saw Ji Hoo lying on the hospital bed.

All her years of training went out the window. Her Ji Hoo lay there, hair matted with blood. His face... his beautiful face... was caked in dirt and dried blood. His clothes were splashed in red. He was almost unrecognizable.

_No, it can't be. This isn't Ji Hoo. There must be a mistake._

Her Ji Hoo was always flawless, impeccable. He would never wear blood-stained clothes. And he never got hurt.

This was not her Ji Hoo.

She looked at his hand and saw the ring that adorned his finger. A sob tried to break free from her throat_._

_No, no, no. It's just a bad dream. A really horrible dream. I need to wake up now._

The doctor in the room, Dr. Park, gave her an acknowledging nod. She had met Dr. Park while on rotation at the hospital. He knew her and knew what Ji Hoo meant to her.

"We've managed to stop the bleeding on his forehead," Dr. Park said. "I'm going to sew it up as soon as we clean him up a little."

Jan Di nodded mechanically, but her eyes never left Ji Hoo's face.

"We won't know much until we run some tests. His pulse is stable now, though."

She stared at Ji Hoo. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow.

"Is he... asleep?" Jan Di croaked. Fear clamped her heart.

"They found a needle at the scene so I think he might have been drugged." Dr. Park's eyebrows creased. "I won't know for sure until we get the lab results back."

"Why would they drug him?" She asked, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Who would do such a thing?"

"I don't know. But we're going to have to change his clothes and clean him up so we can examine him better." He looked at her questioningly. "Did you want to help?"

Jan Di slowly shook her head. A part of her wanted to be there with him. But her mind and her body were still in shock. She doubt she would be able to concentrate long enough to be of help. She was sure if she saw any more injuries on him, she would faint. Or maybe throw up. Her head felt woozy. She turned to Woo Bin. "We should step out for a few minutes."

Woo Bin held her by the elbow as they stepped outside the room. She collapsed onto the nearest chair as soon as the door closed.

"Wh-what happened?" She asked him. "Why would they... Who would hurt him?"

"I don't know, exactly. I got a message that he was in trouble and by the time I got there, he was on the ground." Woo Bin's face was pure rage. "But I will find the guys that did this to him, mark my words. My men are out there looking for them right now." He clenched his fists. "I won't stop until they're found. They'll regret this."

...

* * *

Part of Jan Di's training as a doctor involved learning how to keep a calm and collected head regardless of situation. They often deliver news – sometimes bad, other times _really _bad ones – so emotions needed to be kept in check for the benefit of their patients. (Of course, an occasional show of empathy couldn't hurt.) The problem was, when it was someone they knew, someone they cared about, someone they loved, emotions become extremely hard to contain. Fear and worry replace rational thinking.

After all, doctors _are_ people, too.

Jan Di sat there, staring at Ji Hoo's sleeping face. She had studied the charts and read the full diagnosis. Ji Hoo HAD been drugged but they couldn't identify exactly what kind of drug it was. Their guess was some new type of street drug that someone concocted in their garage. Fortunately, the dose Ji Hoo got was not enough to cause serious damage. Once the drug was flushed out, Ji Hoo_ should_ technically be okay.

This theory brought little to no comfort to Jan Di.

"Hey." Ga Eul squeezed her hand. Ga Eul sat beside her and held her in a half embrace.

Jan Di stared blankly at Ji Hoo. He looked so peaceful.

_Please come back to me_.

"Hey, you need to stop that," Ga Eul whispered.

She blinked and looked at her fingers. They were bleeding. She didn't even realize she was biting her nails so hard they had started to bleed.

"He's probably trying to catch up on all the naps he's missed over the years." Yi Jung joked, but there was no trace of humor in his voice.

Ji Hoo had been sleeping for 12 hours straight. Jan Di, however, had not slept a wink. There was a fist-sized purple bruise on his arm where they stuck the IV to get fluids into him. His chest heaved up and down rhythmically, and she stared at it, terrified it would suddenly stop.

She tore her gaze long enough to look at the rest of their group. They had all rushed there to see him as soon as they heard. Not a single one of them left the room, not even to eat. Dark circles stood prominently around their eyes.

_We look like a group of raccoons. Tired and hungry raccoons._

"You guys should go home and get some sleep," she suggested. "He's not going anywhere."

"You should be the one to go home and sleep," Woo Bin said. "We'll take turns watching him."

"Yes." Hye Jin nodded. "Go rest, Jan Di."

The others murmured in agreement.

She shook her head. "We all know that's not going to happen. I'll call you guys when he wakes. I can sleep here beside his bed."

They all looked at each other, waiting for someone to contradict her.

"Go." She urged them. "He'll be asleep for a while, anyway."

One by one, her friends stood up.

"Promise you'll call us?" Ga Eul said.

"I will."

Yi Jung glanced at Ji Hoo. "We'll be back in a few hours either way. Just need a few hours of shut eye."

Jae Kyung walked towards her and held her by the shoulders. "Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"I'm a doctor. I'll take care of him."

Jae Kyung arched an eyebrow. "That's not what I meant. Call if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks, Unnie."

They all exited the room, except for Jun Pyo. He stood by the door, hand gripping the doorknob. He looked at Ji Hoo, then at her, then back to Ji Hoo. "He's tough so I wouldn't worry too much about him. Do you know how many times I've punched him and he didn't even flinch?" He said it jokingly but his eyes were sad. "You should also get some rest. You can't take care of him if you don't take care of yourself."

"Thank you, Gu Jun Pyo."

Jun Pyo walked over to Ji Hoo and gave his hand a gentle squeeze before he left.

As soon as she was alone, Jan Di pulled a chair to sit beside Ji Hoo. She held his hand and stared blankly at him. A nurse came to check on him and left, and Jan Di just sat there, unmoving.

After a few minutes, she stepped outside his room to get something to drink.

"Hey!" Ga Eul called out, and Jan Di was startled to see her friend there. Yi Jung walked a few steps behind her.

"What are you guys doing back so soon? It hasn't even been half an hour."

Ga Eul handed her a drink. "We were going to leave, but thought maybe you wanted a ride to go home quickly? Or did you want me to get you some clothes?"

_Clothes._ She thought. _Yes, a change of clothes would be nice._

"Thank you," she said. "I think that's a good idea."

Ga Eul took her hand. "We'll bring you back here right after."

"How's he doing? Any change?" Yi Jung asked.

"No. He's still sleeping." Her sleeping prince.

_Maybe if I kiss him he'll wake up? Like sleeping beauty? _

She'd rain kisses all over him if there was a chance that might work.

She got into the back of Yi Jung's car. Ga Eul kept glancing at her to check if she was okay.

"There's construction on the main road that leads to your neighborhood so we'll have to take a quick detour," Yi Jung said, as soon as he started driving.

"Oh. I'm not planning on going home," Jan Di said.

Yi Jung looked at the rearview mirror. "Oh?"

"Can you drop me off at Ji Hoo's?"

His eyes softened in understanding.

She looked at her clothes. She was wearing her doctor's robe. Underneath she had on a pair of black pants and a simple white shirt. She didn't really care if she stayed in it or not. She didn't care what she looked like.

But Ji Hoo...

She was sure he'd want to get out of the hospital gown when he woke up. She would bring his clothes so he could change into them. He'd appreciate that.

They arrived at his house shortly after. She forgot to check if Mrs. Si was home, but she knew the passcode to get into his house anyway.

"You guys don't have to get out of the car. I won't be long."

Yi Jung and Ga Eul hesitated for a brief moment before nodding.

"We'll wait for you right here," Ga Eul said.

Jan Di stepped inside Ji Hoo's house and went straight to his room. Her painting of him hung on top of his bed. She opened his closet and ran her fingers through his clothes. Her lashes grew heavy with tears. She took a deep breath in, struggling to keep her emotions in check. She picked a light blue button up shirt so it would be easier for him to put it on, a gray wool sweater, and a pair of jeans. She picked a pair of runners similar to the ones he had lent her when she found herself shoeless in front of Jun Pyo's house almost a decade ago. She held them as if they were something precious, and pressed them against her nose so she could smell his scent again.

_Get yourself together!_

She was almost out the door of his room when her eyes caught a box lying on top of his dresser. It was slightly bigger than a shoe box, with floral patterns all over the outside. Curiosity got the better of her and she decided to take a closer look.

She set his clothes down on the table and opened the box carefully. She gasped as she took the contents out one by one. Inside were mementos of their time together, things that she thought were of no value: movie ticket stubs, restaurant receipts, notes she'd written for him.

Her pink gloves.

_So that's where it went._

There were pictures in the box too. She took them out, her hands trembling.

Pictures of their fake wedding.

_He kept them. After all this time, he kept them._

Soon enough, they'd have real wedding pictures.

A cloud of sorrow threatened to suffocate her.

_No, no. Not here. I have to be strong. He'll be okay._

She put everything back inside the box, picked up his clothes, and quickly got out of his room. She needed to hurry. Ga Eul and Yi Jung were probably wondering what was taking her so long.

She passed by the dining room... and froze. On top of the table, a massive bouquet of flowers was carefully arranged on a large vase.

Red roses. And pink lotus flowers. Her favorite. A card sat on top of the flowers.

"_Tuesday counts as a special occasion, right?_" It said.

She couldn't help but smile as she slowly traced her finger over each neatly handwritten letter. She turned the card over.

Behind it, he wrote: "_Saranghae__, my future wife._"

Whatever thread that held her together finally snapped. The dam burst open, and the tears came flooding out. She collapsed on the floor in a crumpled heap, covering her face with shaking hands. Her chest heaved as she struggled to control her breathing.

"Jan Di?" Ga Eul ran towards her and wrapped her arms around her. Yi Jung stood by the door, and his eyes went to the bouquet of flowers.

She sobbed quietly in Ga Eul's arms as the minutes ticked by. A thought wriggled its way to the front of her mind. How much time had passed? What if Ji Hoo woke up and she wasn't there?

"We should go back now," she said, once she could breathe normally again.

Yi Jung dropped them off at the hospital, having been asked by Ga Eul to pick up food for her. No matter how much she refused, Ga Eul wouldn't take no for an answer.

She opened the door to Ji Hoo's room and was startled to find a nurse standing there, stroking his hair. The nurse turned around and scowled.

Nurse Eun Mi.

"I'm sorry. But visiting hours are over. Only_ family members_ are allowed right now." Nurse Eun Mi did not move away from Ji Hoo's side.

Jan Di was too exhausted to fight. Her eyes were focused on Ji Hoo, who lay there, still asleep. The only thing she felt right then was relief that Ji Hoo hadn't woken up without her.

"Then what, do tell, are you doing here?" Ga Eul demanded, stepping towards Nurse Eun Mi.

Eun Mi lifted her chin up. "I'm his nurse."

"No, you're not. You're a pediatric nurse, aren't you?" Ga Eul glared. "And last time I checked, he's not a child."

Eun Mi opened her mouth to say something, but Ga Eul cut her off.

"And if only family members are allowed right now, then Jan Di has every right to be here. After all, _she's his wife_."

"They're not married yet!" Eun Mi snarled.

For a minute, it looked like Ga Eul was going to slap Eun Mi. But Ga Eul's face broke into a huge, fake smile. "Aww... isn't that cute? Are you still hoping you have a chance? Because they have medication for that kind of delusion. I'm sure Jan Di wouldn't mind prescribing you one?"

Jan Di had never seen Ga Eul confrontational like that before. It felt surreal, and she watched this exchange as if watching a drama on TV.

"I just want to take care of him." Eun Mi protested, turning to stare at Ji Hoo again.

Ga Eul pointed at Jan Di. "That's _her_ job, not yours."

Eun Mi was indignant. "I _need _to be here when he wakes up."

"Really? Why? Are you hoping he'd have amnesia when he woke up so you could pretend to be his girlfriend?"

Eun Mi opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, proving Ga Eul's theory correct.

"Ha!" Ga Eul snorted. "Tough luck because that would _never _happen." Ga Eul was mere inches away from Eun Mi. "Tell you what, when Ji Hoo and Jan Di have babies, they might let you breathe the same air as them. _Might_. Now, why don't you be a good nurse and let the doctor take care of this one?" Ga Eul smiled sweetly, but her tone was thick with warning. She turned the nurse around and pushed her out the door. Eun Mi didn't even have time to argue.

"Are you okay?" Ga Eul asked.

"How did you -"

"She was in my sister's class. She's obsessed with Ji Hoo, by the way." Ga Eul gave a dry laugh. "He's the reason she became a pediatric nurse. I'd watch out for that one, if I were you."

"Thank you," was all she could say. "I don't have the energy to defend myself today."

Ga Eul hugged her tightly. "That's what I'm here for."

The door opened and Yi Jung came in, holding a small takeout bag.

"You better eat this or I'm telling Ji Hoo when he wakes up," Yi Jung threatened.

"I will, sunbae. Thank you. Now please go and get some rest, you two."

Ga Eul and Yi Jung exchanged glances. They looked as tired as she felt.

"We'll be back real soon," Ga Eul promised.

The door closed, and Jan Di was alone again.

She took Ji Hoo's limp hand and kissed the back of it.

_I miss you so much. Please come back to me._

…


	19. Chapter 18

"_Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things._

_Love never fails."_ \- 1 Corinthians 13:17

**Chapter 18**

"Still asleep, huh?" Dr. Park's throaty voice sliced into Jan Di's thoughts. She had been reminiscing about happier days with Ji Hoo, mainly thinking about being in his arms once again.

"Yes, he is."

"Don't you worry. He'll be alright." The friendly doctor gave her shoulder a quick pat, his graying hair indicating years of experience in their profession.

"Thank you, doctor."

"I have to warn you though - he may be a little disoriented when he wakes up." He rubbed his chin. "Temporary loss of memory is also not uncommon with head traumas. Although his scans came back clear, I'd advise you to be prepared."

"I... I will, doctor."

She knew there was a chance, but she tried to push those thoughts away.

_Everything will be okay._

"You look like you need to sleep yourself." Dr. Park observed.

Jan Di winced. "I'm fine."

To her relief, Dr. Park didn't object, obviously aware she wasn't about to leave Ji Hoo to go to sleep. He turned around to leave.

"Doctor?" Jan Di called out.

"Yes?"

"Can I take over the nursing duties for him? At least until he wakes up?"

"I don't see that as a problem. His IV was just changed so he shouldn't need anything for several hours."

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Dr. Park."

The doctor gave a slight dip of the head and then went out.

Jan Di exhaled, letting her body relax a little. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her of its need for food, so she reluctantly opened the bag Yi Jung had brought her. Inside was kalguksu, which was a type of noodle soup, and though the soup was now cold she slurped a few spoonfuls to ease the gnawing pain in her stomach. She finished the entire bowl before she even realized it.

_I guess I was hungry._

A yawn escaped her mouth without her permission. She tried to widen her eyes, even forcing them open with her fingers, but found it getting heavier by the second.

_Must... stay... awake._

To keep herself busy, she took a wet towel and started carefully wiping his fingers. His hand had scratches and bruises on them, and he had a few scratches on his face. She stroked his cheek tenderly, then leaned over to kiss his forehead, even though a huge bandage covered most of it.

"You know, I wouldn't let them cut your hair."

She pinned his hair back so as not to interfere with the bandage.

"I didn't think you'd like that. They wanted to shave it, even! Can you imagine? i mean, I'm sure you'd still look cute, but still."

Talking to him out loud helped, she found out. She imagined him looking at her, smiling that smile only meant for her.

_I miss you, Ji Hoo._

The monitor continued to beep steadily, the only other sound in the room aside from her voice.

"Oh, and I haven't told Grandfather or my family yet." She scrunched her lips. "I don't want to worry them, especially Grandfather. I'll let you tell him when you wake up. I know you'll wake soon." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "_You have to_."

She examined his charts again. The x-ray showed a small fracture on his foot.

"I have so many things planned for us when you wake up! Although running or biking wouldn't be in the picture for a while."

She took out her stethoscope and listened to his heartbeat, looking for irregularities. When she found none, she sat beside his bed and held his hand.

"And the wedding planner keeps calling me, because apparently, the linens the hotel ordered do not match the chair covers. And the center pieces are incomplete. Plus, the seating arrangements are all messed up because we have too many additional guests." She had to laugh at that. "It seems ridiculous to worry about stuff like that right now, don't you think?"

She rambled on and on, pretending Ji Hoo was listening.

_I miss you so much it hurts._

And still Ji Hoo slept.

Jan Di knew it had only been a day, but to her it felt like years since she last spoke to him. Since she last heard his voice. Since she last saw him smile.

_Please come back to me._

It was the longest day of her life.

Her eyes were starting to feel heavy again, and she fought it to stay awake. Finally, she decided to splash water on her face, thinking that might help. She stepped outside to wash her face. As she was heading back to his room, she saw a familiar head lurking around the corner.

Nurse Eun Mi.

"Where do you think you're going?" She called out, arms folded across her chest. She was not in the mood for Nurse Eun Mi's shenanigans.

Eun Mi turned around and made a face. "Where do you think?"

"Didn't we just kick you out? Were we vague about that?"

"I don't see Ga Eul anywhere, do you?" Eun Mi mocked.

She gave an exasperated sigh. "You mistook my silence earlier for weakness. I don't need Ga Eul around, you see."

"Oh really?"

Jan Di thought of the best way to get through to Eun Mi. "Tell me, have you ever seen a roundhouse kick to the face? It's a pretty cool martial arts move. Pretty _bone jarring_, they say."

Eun Mi's eyes popped. "You wouldn't dare."

She narrowed her eyes. "Try me."

"You'd get in trouble." Eun Mi warned.

She gave a humorless laugh. "I haven't slept in almost two days. The love of my life is lying in _that_ room unconscious because some guys beat and drugged him for some unknown reason. And then there's you, sneaking around, trying to get to Ji Hoo even though you've been told not to. I've been itching to release all this tension and anxiety I've been feeling all day. Do you _really _want to test me right now?"

Eun Mi took a step back.

_Good. At least now we're getting through to her._

"I- I'll report you." Eun Mi mumbled.

"Please do." She turned the knob to enter Ji Hoo's room, then paused. Turning back to face Eun Mi, she snapped her fingers. "Oh yeah, by the way, I checked with the front desk earlier, and they said you're not even supposed to be here right now. Did you know that? Apparently, you're suspended. Something about harassing the nurse that replaced you at Ji Hoo's clinic?"

Eun Mi swallowed hard.

"If I were you, I'd try to get my life in order before I lose my license. Harassment is not taken lightly here. And in case you weren't aware, stalking is _also _a crime."

Eun Mi's face hardened and she glared daggers at her.

Jan Di walked a few steps until her face was inches away from Eun Mi. "Stay. Away. From. Ji Hoo. I won't warn you again."

"Or what? You'll fight me for him?" Eun Mi dared.

Jan Di was flabbergasted. _Did she not hear a word I said?_

_"_I don't have to fight you for him. Do you know why?" Her voice raised slightly. "_Because you're not even in the picture._" She stepped back, and put her hands on her hips. "Don't make me call security."

Eun Mi's face was red. She opened her mouth to speak, but then decided against it. Slowly, she turned around and walked out the double doors.

_Good. Stay out!_

She decided to talk to the receiving desk just in case Eun Mi decided to come back.

"I'm looking after the patient in Room 207. Can you make sure NO ONE goes into that room without my permission? Except Dr. Park, of course."

"Of course, Dr. Geum." The nurse wrote a few notes on a piece of paper. "We'll check with you first before letting anyone in."

"Thank you, Nurse Ha Ri."

Ji Hoo remained undisturbed when she got back. As soon as she sat down, exhaustion took over her body. It was as if her confrontation with Eun Mi zapped the last ounce of strength that was keeping her awake. Her lids weighed like bricks, and she couldn't keep them open any longer.

She pulled the chair closer to his bed, held his hand, and laid her head on the side of his bed.

_I'll close my eyes just for a minute. Just for a few minutes. _

_..._

She woke up when she felt someone squeeze her hand.

Were Ga Eul and Yi Jung back already? How long had she been asleep?

Slowly, she lifted her head, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Ji Hoo was staring right at her.

Her eyes widened in shock at first, then relief took over.

_He's awake! He's finally awake!_

She was so overjoyed she wanted to hug him, but she froze at the look on his face.

He looked at her questioningly, eyes glazed over, brows squished together, as if he was trying to solve a puzzle.

A feeling of déjà vu slowly crept into her heart.

_Oh no._ She felt something squeeze her insides. She had seen that look before. _Could it be? _

A drop threatened to fall from the corner of her eye.

_No. _She thought. _No, no, no! Please, no. I can't. Not from him. _

She couldn't do it again. Especially not from Ji Hoo. She didn't think her heart could take it if he looked at her with the same coldness she'd seen when Jun Pyo forgot about her. It would break her.

What if what Ga Eul said to Nurse Eun Mi happened? Could she handle seeing Ji Hoo with her?

_Don't panic. You don't know for sure._

The blank expression on his face was hard for her to ignore, though.

_Maybe he's just disoriented? He did take a blow to the head._

Ji Hoo looked at his hand still holding hers, his face slack. Jan Di awkwardly pulled her hand away, then hid it behind her.

"D-do y-you know who I a-am?" She stuttered, afraid of his answer.

Ji Hoo closed his eyes, and Jan Di noticed he still seemed weak. He tried to speak but grunted instead. She saw how dry his lips were, so she grabbed a glass of water and offered it to him. He drank slowly, taking little sips at a time.

"Thanks." It took a lot of effort from him to say that one word.

Jan Di looked at her outfit. She was still wearing her doctor's robe.

_Maybe he thinks I'm just another doctor at the hospital?_

"Do you remember my name?" She asked again, the fear inside growing.

"Dr. Geum Jan Di." He said, almost in a whisper.

She was ready to throw her arms around him when she noticed he was looking at her name tag. Her hope deflated, and she had to bite her lower lip to stop it from trembling.

"Don't cry." He forced a smile. His voice was weak, and Jan Di had to strain her ears to hear him. "It looks worse than it is, really." He paused for a few seconds before asking, "Are you my doctor?"

A lump formed in her throat.

_Don't cry. Be strong. He needs you. _

She bit her lip. "No, I'm not. Dr. Park is your doctor. I'm just... helping."

"Oh."

_It's not his fault. He didn't want this to happen. _

She willed herself to be strong. She'd been through this before. She could go through it again, for Ji Hoo. Even if he forgot her, she would _never_ leave his side. She would make him remember. And he _would_ remember her. He _had_ to. This was Ji Hoo, after all.

_He's awake. And that's all that matters right now._

She took a step forward. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I got hit by a truck. I'm sore all over." His face fell at the cast on his foot. "How bad is it broken?"

"It's just a small fracture. As long as you don't put too much weight on it for the next few weeks, it should heal completely. You also had a cut on your forehead that Dr. Park stitched up. Other than those, I'd say you were very lucky."

Her poker face was on full blast. She answered his questions calmly, as if she _were_ his doctor.

_Calm and collected. That's me. _

Even though it felt as if someone had punched a hole in her chest.

His face seemed relieved. "Everything else is fine, right?"

"Yes. We're still waiting for some tests to come back, but for the most part everything looks good."

_Oh yeah, and other than the fact that you don't remember me at all, everything's great. Just dandy._

He tried to sit up and winced, clutching a hand to the side of his head.

"You'd better take it slow." She ran to his side and adjusted the bed until he was comfortably seated, plopping a pillow behind him. "You may experience some fainting spells, or dizziness. You'll have to take it easy for a while."

"What happened to me?"

She bit her lower lip before answering. "You were drugged."

"Drugged?"

"Yeah, they sent your blood work to the lab to analyze it, but they couldn't identify exactly what it was. There was a sedative in it, though."

He was staring at her curiously, and Jan Di had to look away as she felt her cheeks redden. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were puffy, and she hadn't changed her clothes in two days. She ran a nervous hand through her hair. She was also certain she reeked of antiseptic. Her whole _not-caring-what-she-looked-like _seemed to have backfired on her.

What must she look like to him?

She'd already told him she wasn't his doctor. Maybe he thought she was just someone crushing on him? She knew of the many nurses who came to 'check' on him who weren't even assigned to his area.

His hand went up to the bandage on his forehead.

"Do you have a mirror?" He asked.

"Wait here." She went to the receiving desk and requested a mirror from one of the nurses that sat there. She came back and handed it to him.

He carefully pulled the bandage that covered his wound and examined the stitches Dr. Park had done. He felt and counted each one. He had seven stitches in total, but they were sewn very close together.

A few seconds of awkward silence stretched out between them.

_Talk to him_, her mind urged. _Make him remember._ _Tell him about you. Tell him you love him. Tell him you're together. Anything!_

"We're getting married in two months," she blurted, which was the first thing that popped into her head. Seconds later she realized it may not have been the right thing to start with, seeing as he didn't even know who she was.

_Oh sure, that's not creepy at all. Why don't you tell him you like to smell his clothes too while you're at __it?__ Way to go, Jan Di!_

"Um..." She began, unsure of how to proceed.

He frowned. He seemed to think about this for a few seconds, while Jan Di's heart pounded like a drum in an ancient Mayan ceremony.

_He's probably thinking I'm crazy. Or that I'm a stalker. Or worse, maybe he thinks I'm a crazy stalker!_

She made a face. _Wait, aren't all stalkers crazy? Aish! What's wrong with me?_

He touched the stitches again, then looked apologetically at her. "This should heal by then, don't you think? If not, I could just cover it with my hair. I don't think it will scar." He frowned at his foot. "And I should be able to walk by then. I don't want to be in a wheelchair for our wedding."

It took exactly seventeen seconds for what he said to register into her consciousness. She was expecting a different answer, so her mind was formulating sentences she could say to help him remember.

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"You remember me!" She wrapped her arms around his neck, almost falling on top of him in her excitement. Relief washed over her like a waterfall. He hugged her back, though she could tell he was still weak.

"I was afraid you forgot who I was." She whispered, as she held him tight.

And then the softest kiss, like the touch of butterfly wings, landed on her forehead.

"_Never._"

...


	20. Chapter 19

"_Being friends with your ex shows that you two are mature enough to get over the fact that you weren't meant to be together."_ \- Unknown

**Chapter 19**

She fell asleep in his arms, and they laid on the bed side by side until her pager woke her up. The sound of his steady breathing was the most beautiful sound in the world to her ears. She snuggled closer to him, feeling the warmth of his body against hers, forgetting for a moment that they were lying on top of an extremely narrow hospital bed. His arms subconsciously pulled her even tighter, sending tingling currents all over her body. Her breathing quickened, her heart thumping so loud she was certain the entire hospital could hear it, so she tried hard to rein in the desire that arrived at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

She pulled away from him, ever so gently, so as not to wake him up. Even though she barely got two hours of sleep, she felt refreshed. She stared at him for a few minutes, stroking his hair as he slept.

Ji Hoo was back. And he remembered her. He remembered her!

_I should never have doubted him._

He opened his eyes groggily, and gave her a lopsided smile. He grabbed her hand, the one that was stroking his hair, and gave the back of it a small kiss before placing it on top of his heart. He held it there as they stared at each other in silence.

No words needed to be said between them, as their eyes conveyed what they wanted to say.

Relief. Joy. Love.

Her pager beeped again and she looked at it, slightly annoyed.

_Why do they keep paging me?_

Ji Hoo arched an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to answer your pager?"

She grinned. "I wasn't really planning on it."

"Might be important?"

_Not as important as this._

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

"They're not going to leave me alone until I answer, are they?" Jan Di scowled.

Ji Hoo chuckled. "I doubt it."

_Gosh, I missed that smile._

Seeing Ji Hoo smile again made her heart do three consecutive flips. She tore her eyes reluctantly away from him and picked up the phone.

"Doctor Geum Jan Di here. You paged?"

The nurse at the front desk seemed to notice the slight annoyance in her voice. "I'm sorry to bother you, Doctor Geum, but your friends are here. They've been waiting to come in for quite some time now?"

"Oh." She felt a little stab of guilt.

"Should I let them in or tell them to come back?"

"No, no. Tell them to come in. Thank you, Nurse Ha Ri."

"You're welcome, Dr. Geum."

She had forgotten that she told the front desk not to let anyone in Ji Hoo's room until she said it was okay.

_Well, by "anyone" I really meant Eun Mi. _

Their friends started trickling in not even five minutes later.

"Well look who's awake!" Yi Jung exclaimed cheerfully as he stepped into the room.

Ga Eul, Hye Jin and Woo Bin were right behind him. Hye Jin held a huge bouquet of flowers, while Ga Eul had a basket of fruit in her arms. They both passed this onto Jan Di, who placed it on top of the little gray desk in the room. Ji Hoo had only been there for less than two days, and his room already looked like a flower shop, as patients and coworkers dropped flowers off to wish him well.

"Had enough beauty sleep?" Woo Bin greeted.

Ji Hoo's face lit up at seeing their friends. Jan Di helped him sit up until he was comfortable. He held onto her hand as he sat, refusing to let go.

"Nice to see you guys too," he acknowledged. "Thanks for coming to rescue me, Woo Bin."

Woo Bin's face turned serious. "Sorry I took so long."

He shook his head. "You got there as fast as you could."

"You scared me, Ji Hoo." Woo Bin scolded. "When I got there, you weren't moving. Your eyes were closed, and there was blood everywhere. I thought I was too late!"

"I'm sorry, bro," Ji Hoo said. "I couldn't move even if I wanted to."

"What happened?" Woo Bin asked. "Why were those guys after you? You're not one to pick a fight."

"They weren't after me," Ji Hoo explained. "They thought I was Jun Pyo. They wanted to kidnap him for ransom."

The others stared at him in disbelief.

"H-how? You don't look anything like Jun Pyo!" Yi Jung's brows knotted in confusion. "Was it dark? Were they blind?" He narrowed his eyes. "Wait... were you wearing a wig?"

Ga Eul rolled her eyes at him. "Really?"

"They weren't very smart. Or organized," Ji Hoo said. "Which is a relief because it could have been way worse for me." Turning to Woo Bin, he asked, "Did you get them?"

Woo Bin shook his head. "I have people searching for them 24/7. They can't hide for long. We'll get them, I promise you."

This seemed to snap Jan Di out of her daze and she whirled on Ji Hoo to give him a piece of her mind. Now that he was awake, and safely out of danger, she decided it was the perfect time to lecture him.

"How could you even go there by yourself? What were you thinking? You can't be going off on your own like that! Don't you know you're a likely target, too? People know you have money!" Her voice was a pitch above normal. "You need to be more careful. Look at your friends! Jun Pyo has his private security, Woo Bin is always trailed by his guards, Yi Jung..." She looked at Yi Jung, who waited eagerly for what she had to say about him. "Well, I don't think anyone would try to kidnap Yi Jung, to be honest."

"Hey!" Yi Jung protested. "I'm very kidnapper-desirable, thank you very much."

Ga Eul giggled. "I don't think that's a thing." She patted his hand. "But if you want, we'll get you a guard."

Yi Jung raised his chin. "That's better."

"Did you want a chihuahua or a bichon shihtzu?" Ga Eul asked, a wide grin on her face. "Oooh... or maybe a labradoodle!"

Yi Jung's face fell. "I was serious!"

"So was I," Ga Eul said.

Jan Di's attention turned back to Ji Hoo. "We need to get you your own private security so we can keep you safe. Why did you not think of this before? From now on, I won't let you go outside without someone watching over you. Otherwise, I swear I'm going to guard you myself. I'll follow you wherever you go and never, ever leave your side! Do you hear me? I'll stick to you so much people will think we're Siamese twins!" She was panting hard, having let all her fears and frustrations out in one breath.

Ji Hoo, however, looked more amused than afraid of her threats.

"_How come you never threaten me like that_?" Yi Jung whispered to Ga Eul.

"Because I believe in actions, not words." She elbowed him, and he gave a little yelp.

"You know, he's not supposed to like your threats, right?" Woo Bin smirked.

Jan Di was still out of breath from her outburst. Ji Hoo's eyes softened and he pulled her in for a hug.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "Really."

The door opened and Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung stepped in. Relief flooded their faces when they saw Ji Hoo awake.

"You know, when I said I'll come visit you at the hospital, this wasn't what I meant, right?" Jun Pyo pointed out.

"Nice to see you, too, Gu Jun Pyo." Ji Hoo's eyes went immediately to Jun Pyo's hair. "I don't see anything different. Your hair looks the same."

Jun Pyo ran a hand through his hair. "That's because I wanted it to be subtle."

"You mean I sat for hours for _that_?" Ji Hoo teased.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to tag along," Jun Pyo reminded him. "Anyway, how are you feeling?"

"I'm good," Ji Hoo answered. "Well, I won't be doing any running anytime soon."

Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung sat down while he explained to them what happened.

"Wow," Jae Kyung said, when he was done. "Even if we stuffed each of you in a bag, I'm sure I could tell you guys apart."

"Oh? How?" Jun Pyo asked, curiousity piqued.

"_Your_ bag would be complaining nonstop," Jae Kyung said, matter-of-factly. "Plus, it would be bigger. And _really, really_ heavy."

Jun Pyo glowered at her but Jae Kyung ignored him. Then his face became serious as he turned back to Ji Hoo. "I better tell my security about this." He pulled out his phone and stepped outside the room.

"The police will also want to talk to you," Woo Bin said. "I didn't know much when they questioned me."

Sure enough, an hour later several police officers arrived and began questioning Ji Hoo and Woo Bin.

"Those guys are in for a treat," Woo Bin said, as soon the cops had left. "Not only are my men looking for them, but now the cops are, too."

"And my men," Jun Pyo added, "since I was their original target." He gave Ji Hoo an approving nod. "Those descriptions you gave the cops were really good. The sketch artist couldn't even keep up. Now their faces will be all over the country."

Ji Hoo had always had a good memory. "Let's hope it helps."

Woo Bin gritted his teeth. "They better hope my men don't find them first."

…

That evening they released Ji Hoo from the hospital (after all the results came back normal). Ji Hoo was adamant to go home, and since they couldn't find any compelling reason to convince him to stay, got his way. Jan Di would be by his side, monitoring him for any signs of concussion or any other side effects of the drug.

The rest of the gang followed him home and they all gathered around his living room while Ji Hoo practiced rolling around in his new wheelchair.

"That actually looks fun," Yi Jung observed.

Jun Pyo snorted. "Your arms get tired fast."

"I didn't want to use mine for too long because I was afraid Yi Jung would make fun of me," Woo Bin confessed.

"Who? Me?" Yi Jung said, pretending to look shocked. "Never!" He pointed at Ji Hoo. "You know, if we shaved your head you could pass for Professor X."

"That's right," Woo Bin agreed. "Dibs on Wolverine!"

"Aww, I was going to pick him!" Yi Jung complained. "I guess I can be Cyclops."

Jun Pyo seemed to be deep in thought. "Magneto. Definitely Magneto."

"But Magneto's a villain," Ji Hoo reminded him.

"But he's a _cool_ _villain_," Jun Pyo argued. "Maybe even cooler than Professor X." He folded his arms and raised his chin up, daring Ji Hoo to contradict.

Jae Kyung gave the other three girls a puzzled look. "Are they always like this?"

Ga Eul laughed. "Pretty much." Turning to Jan Di she said, "You should probably put a stop to this. Before, you know, they _actually_ shave his head."

"NO ONE is shaving his head." Jan Di pushed Ji Hoo's wheelchair a few steps away from the boys.

"Spoilsport," Yi Jung muttered.

Just then, Mrs. Si, Ji Hoo's housekeeper, came out with a cart full of food. The group happily munched on them, suddenly realizing how hungry they were.

Ji Hoo glanced at his watch then looked up at Jan Di. "Hey, isn't Kang San's fashion show tomorrow?"

She placed her hands on her hips. "You're seriously not thinking of going, are you? You just got out of the hospital! Besides, you can't walk the stage."

"I can't do the fashion show, but we can still watch and show our support to Kang San."

"I don't know, Ji Hoo..."

"I made a promise," Ji Hoo said. "I'll just sit and watch. It's just like going out for some fresh air. It would do me some good." He gave her a wink and added, "Besides, I'll bring _my_ doctor with me so she can look after me."

She scrunched her lips to the side and pretended to resist his charm. "Actually, I'm not your doctor. And I'm sure Doctor Park doesn't want to see a school fashion show tomorrow."

"Fine. I'll bring my _fiancé _doctor with me to take care of me." Ji Hoo flashed her his trademark smile, and she couldn't help but blush.

"It's not fair when you go all cute and charming on me," Jan Di complained. She threw her hands up in the air, admitting defeat. "Fine. We'll go. But you have to promise to listen to your fiancé."

"I always do."

"Oh. We have a problem though." Jan Di recalled. Everyone turned to look at her. "We still need a couple to walk the stage."

"Yi Jung and Ga Eul could do it for us. They only need one couple, right?" Ji Hoo suggested.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What?" Yi Jung cried out. "Did you just volunteer me_ again_?"

Ga Eul nudged him. "Of course we'll do it."

"Even if I wanted to, I can't. I have an exhibit tomorrow," Yi Jung said.

"What time does it end?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Around 4."

"Perfect. Fashion show starts at 5."

Yi Jung shook his head. "You're not letting me off the hook that easily, huh?"

Ji Hoo grinned at him. "Nope. Not even a little bit."

"Fine. But you OWE me. Big time."

Ji Hoo tapped a finger on his chin, deep in thought. Then a smile spread slowly on his face. "How about I'll do Bohemian Rhapsody next time we have a performance?"

Yi Jung's eyes widened. "No way! You mean it?"

"Of course."

"It's a deal. Wait, are you going to sing it, too?" Yi Jung asked, excitedly.

"Don't push it."

…

One by one their friends left, and Jan Di was left alone with Ji Hoo. She had no intention of leaving him by himself all night anyway, as she wanted to monitor his condition.

She sat on the couch while Ji Hoo sat in his wheelchair opposite her, both of them sipping tea.

"Jan Di..." Ji Hoo began. She could see the lines of worry on his face.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Did you tell Grandfather?"

She shook her head. "I figured if you didn't wake up within 24 hours then I would call him. But I didn't want to worry him. I knew he'd come rushing back here."

He put a hand on top of hers. "Thank you for that. I'll call and tell him everything tomorrow."

She simply nodded. Then she stood up and started pacing around his living room. He followed her with his eyes, patiently waiting for her to say something. He could tell something was on her mind.

"There's something I wanted to ask you..." Jan Di fidgeted with her hands.

"What is it?"

"When you woke up, it seemed as though you didn't know who I was." She failed to hide the hurt in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Jan-Di-yah. I was a little out of it then. My head was spinning, and I couldn't remember much at first. Everything was hazy." He looked at her curiously. "Why? Were you worried I'd end up like Jun Pyo?"

"A little," she admitted, as a blush crept up her cheeks.

A huge grin spread onto his face. "Silly otter. It would take more than a blow to the head to make me forget about you."

"Really?"

"You're not only in here," he said, as he tapped his temple. "You're also in here." He tapped his heart. "And here," he said, tapping his nose. "And here." He tapped his mouth. "And of course, here." He held her hand. "You're in every thought, every scent, every touch and every feeling that I have. It would be impossible for me to forget you."

She squeezed his hand, wondering how she ever got so lucky. He was looking up at her from his chair so she leaned forward so she could be at eye level with him. "Don't _ever_ scare me like that again," she said.

"I promise I won't wear other people's clothes anymore, especially Jun Pyo's."

"That's not what I -"

He put both palms on either side of her cheeks and placed his forehead against hers.

"_I missed you too,_" he whispered, before she could finish talking.

And then he kissed her.

He kissed her softly at first, just a peck, his lips grazing hers for just a second. His eyes took on a glazed look, as if in a dream, and he put a hand behind her neck and pulled her in closer. His next kiss was full of hunger, bursting with a need that she'd never seen in him before. Something inside her came undone, and she met his lips with the same eagerness, throwing away all reservations, all hints of shyness. She knew she could have lost him, could have lived in a world without his smile, without his love, and that... that would have certainly destroyed her. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pulling him harder, and her knees buckled and she fell onto his lap.

Neither of them noticed.

Neither of them cared.

They kissed again and again, harder and deeper each time, their lips parting only so they could catch their breath.

Ji Hoo pulled away for just a second, only long enough to look at her with such longing it made her whole body tremble.

"_I wish I hadn't broken my foot._" He whispered wistfully in her ear, as he trailed kisses down her jawline back to her mouth, his self-control tossed casually aside, his promise temporarily forgotten.

She understood what he implied but didn't blush about it this time.

Instead, she welcomed it.

"_Me too._" She purred, and she heard him take a deep breath in. Her hands were on his hair before she realized it, and their lips met again, even hungrier than before, knowing that she could never have enough of this... could never have enough of him.

It was the kind of kiss that only existed in her dreams, the kind that awakened her innermost desires.

The kind that chased thunderstorms away from the sky and replaced them with sunshine.

_Her _sunshine.

…

* * *

_Author's Note: I tried to venture a little outside my comfort zone in this chapter. If you've been reading this series (Parts 1-3), you'd know that this is new to me. I apologize in advance if I didn't do a good job with it, or if it was a little much. _


	21. Chapter 20

"_And there, right in the middle of my chaos – there was you." - Unknown_

**Chapter 20**

Ji Hoo woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs sizzling in the kitchen. He was still in his pajamas when he found Jan Di bent over the stove happily humming to herself.

"It smells amazing." The aroma of breakfast made his mouth water.

She paused long enough to walk over to him and give him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked, holding the spatula.

"I did. You?"

"Like a baby," she said, as she flipped an egg over.

_Sure, you did. _

Ji Hoo shook his head, though her back was turned so she didn't see it. He knew Jan Di had been in and out of his room checking up on him all night. He pretended to be fast asleep every time she came in so she wouldn't feel bad about waking him. But he felt her every time she touched his forehead, or checked his pulse, or even when she simply sat on the chair in his room and stared at him as he slept. He was aware of it every time.

"So, what's the plan today?" He asked as she set the plates of food on the table.

"Whatever you want," she said.

They both sat down and started eating breakfast, and Ji Hoo couldn't help but think this would be their every day soon.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked, her head cocked to the side.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," he winked.

"Oh, is it now?" She teased back. "Is this how you're going to be when we're a married couple?"

"Of course not," he answered, but his tone was playful. He leaned closer and whispered, "_I'll be much, much worse._"

She rolled her eyes, but he saw a spot of pink appear on her cheeks.

An idea popped into his head.

"Hey, remember that Buddhist temple we went to many years ago? The one where we wrote wishes on tablets?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "You want to go there?"

"Yes."

He thought she would ask why, but she just shrugged and said, "Okay".

The ride to the temple took them almost two hours. Mr. Gil drove them there. Halfway through the drive, Ji Hoo felt Jan Di's head plop onto his shoulder. He put an arm around her and held her the rest of the way.

"Are we here to make a wish?" She asked, as she pushed him around the temple. Not much had changed since they were last there.

"No." He gave her a sly grin. "The last time we were here, you wished for my happiness and I wished for you to get into medical school. Both came true. I'm here to say thanks."

"So, you have nothing more to wish for?" She eyed him curiously.

"Well, all my wishes point to you." The words came out of his lips so naturally, as if he was merely telling her his name. He looked up at her. "What about you? Anything you want to wish for?"

"Oh sure, ask me that _now_," Jan Di muttered. Anything she said now would be lame compared to what he just revealed.

The sun beat down on them, its heat scorching and angry. She could see droplets of sweat forming around Ji Hoo's forehead.

"Wait here," she instructed him. "I'll go grab us some water."

Ji Hoo watched her disappear into the back of a gray building. He sat there waiting, admiring the statues that lined one side of the pathway. They were white, either made with marble or ivory, and each around two feet in height.

A few monks passed by, and one particular monk paused to study him. The monk wore a long gray robe, with a gray hat that covered most of his head. He gave a polite bow in greeting, and the monk smiled at him. Just then, Jan Di appeared from behind the building and started walking back to him, carrying two bottles of water. The monk looked at him, then at Jan Di, then back at him.

"I see you are still with your lotus flower." The monk said, making Ji Hoo jump inside.

"You remember that? I mean... you remember us?" Ji Hoo couldn't believe his ears. It had been so long since they were last there.

"Your face is not easily forgotten." The monk answered. "Did your lotus flower give you a family?"

The smile on his face reached his eyes. He thought of Grandfather. "Yes. She gave me back my grandfather."

The monk leaned forward. "She will give you more than that." And with that, he left.

"What did the monk say?" Jan Di asked as she handed him a bottle of water. Ji Hoo's face was flushed and he couldn't stop smiling. He couldn't bring himself to speak for a few minutes and just stared at her with a huge grin on his face. He took several small sips of water, deliberately taking his time with each sip.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to tell me?"

"He told me the future." He beamed at her.

She tapped her foot on the ground, waiting for him to continue.

"He said we'll be very happy together."

She pouted. "I could have told you that, you know."

They visited the temple and said a little prayer inside, then went and looked at the other structures that surrounded it.

After a couple of hours, he decided it was time to go. "We should probably head back," he informed her. "We wouldn't want to be late for Kang San's fashion show."

…

"Noona! You made it!" Kang San squealed. "For a minute I thought you guys wouldn't show up." His face became sad when he saw Ji Hoo. "Hyung, how are you feeling?"

A corner of Ji Hoo's mouth lifted. "Never better. Guess who promised to never leave my side now?"

"Ha ha. Way to go, hyung!" Kang San gave Ji Hoo a high five.

Jan Di glared at them, but they pretended not to notice.

"Thanks for coming, by the way," Kang San said, his eyes full of hope.

"Are you guys ready?" she asked.

"As ready as we'll ever be, I suppose."

The campus was packed, and Jan Di couldn't tell whether most of them were students or spectators. Min Kyu and Joo Won stood beside Kang San, nervously shifting from side to side.

They had a stage set up in the middle of the square and rows of folding seats were neatly arranged in front of it. The stage had a huge spotlight shining on it, and streams of colorful lights were hung around the bottom. Instead of booths, small tables lined up the right side of the stage, each with a couple of boxes that Jan Di guessed were full of shirts, and manned by one to two eager-faced students.

"I'll stay close to our table and be ready for orders after the show." Kang San explained. "Min Kyu and Joo Won can show you guys backstage." His eyes darted nervously around. "Are Yi Jung and Ga Eul almost here?"

Jan Di checked her phone. "No, but I'll give them a call."

The phone rang five times before Ga Eul picked up.

"_Jan Di, we're stuck in traffic. We're running a little late._"

She winced. "How late are we talking about?"

"_We're not sure. The cars aren't moving. Apparently, there's a really bad accident up ahead_."

She looked at the time. It was almost five o' clock. All the other participants had already gone backstage.

"Okay. Just be careful. We'll... figure something out."_ Somehow._

And with that, she hung up. She walked back to their little group, and her heart sank when she saw the boys' expectant faces.

"Yi Jung sunbae and Ga Eul are stuck in traffic." Jan Di had to break the bad news. "They may not make it in time."

"What about Woo Bin and Hye Jin?" Ji Hoo suggested. "They're supposed to be here, too."

Jan Di shook her head. "I don't see them anywhere so they might also be stuck in traffic. Apparently, there's a huge accident coming out of downtown."

Kang San lowered his chin to his chest, and he looked about to cry.

Jan Di held his hand. "I'll do it. I'll go up there with one of your classmates."

Min Kyu and Joo Won looked doubtfully at Ji Hoo.

"It's fine." Ji Hoo assured them. "I promise I won't go hulk on you guys."

The look of relief on the boys' faces almost made him laugh out loud.

"Did it start yet?" Jae Kyung's cheery voice sliced through their somber mood. They didn't even notice she and Jun Pyo had arrived. Jun Pyo had his hands clasped behind his back and did not look happy to be there.

"No, you guys are right on time. Jan Di's just about to go backstage," Ji Hoo replied.

"For what?" Jae Kyung's eyes did a quick sweep around, trying to figure out what was happening around her. There seemed to be a steady stream of people arriving, and the empty seats in front of the stage were rapidly dwindling.

"They're doing a fashion show on these shirts," Ji Hoo explained, holding one up for them to see. "Yi Jung and Ga Eul were supposed to wear these, but they're still stuck in traffic, so we have no choice but to send Jan Di."

"I'll wear it," Jae Kyung offered. She picked up the shirt and inspected it closely. Her face lit up and she giggled. "I think it's super cute! Look at the little penguin!"

"Cute? Puppies are cute. Babies are sort of cute. This..." Jun Pyo picked up a shirt. "This is the opposite of cute! It's like... the anti-cute!"

Jae Kyung ignored him and turned towards Kang San and his classmates. "Now, who wants to wear the other one with me?"

Both Min Kyu and Joo Won's lips parted, and their face went slack. In a flash they were beside Jae Kyung, their bright and glossy eyes never leaving her face.

Jae Kyung stood there, long hair sleek and straight falling almost to her waist, wearing a white top paired with a peach blazer, black skinny jeans, and a pair of three-inch black high heels. She already looked like a model.

"I volunteer!" Joo Won and Min Kyu said in unison. Both boys grabbed the matching shirt and started fighting over it.

"Let me wear it!" Joo Won exclaimed. "I'm older so it should be me!"

"Uh uh," Min Kyu argued. "I'm taller so I'd look better beside her." He smirked. "Besides, the penguin design was _my idea_."

Joo Won stuck his lower lip out and Min Kyu won the fight. He marched behind the stage with Jae Kyung, following her like a lovesick puppy. He looked absolutely smitten with her.

Woo Bin came running up to them. As soon as he reached the gang, he stopped to take a breath.

"Did you run all the way here from downtown?" Ji Hoo joked.

"I didn't want to be late." His eyes scanned the crowd. "Have you guys seen Hye Jin anywhere? Is she here?"

Ji Hoo shook his head. "Wasn't she supposed to come with you?"

Woo Bin's face fell. "I don't know where she is. She's not picking up her phone." He scratched his head. "Maybe she got held up at work?" He pressed some keys on his cell.

"I'm sorry we're late." Yi Jung's voice broke in, and Ga Eul was not far behind him. "I swear, I didn't plan that accident on purpose."

Ji Hoo looked up at Yi Jung from his wheelchair. "We'd never think that of you, Yi Jung."

Jan Di gave them all an appreciative nod. "We're good. Jae Kyung volunteered to go with Min Kyu."

"Jae Kyung volunteered?" Yi Jung wondered in amazement. "Man, that girl's got guts." A pause. "Either that or she's color blind."

"I thought Jun Pyo was here, too?" Woo Bin asked, looking around.

"He was." Ji Hoo answered. "Maybe he went backstage to talk Jae Kyung out of it?"

Backstage, Jae Kyung took her blazer off and put on the neon orange shirt. It sat just a little past her hips, and she tucked it in neatly, making sure the penguin and the arrow could still be seen.

"What are you doing?" An annoyed voice called out. Jun Pyo came striding towards them, his mouth twisted and his brows almost touching.

"I'm going to do a fashion show. You?" Jae Kyung answered calmly. "Are you here for moral support? Or to be anti-cute?"

Jun Pyo's mouth twitched but he kept silent.

Min Kyu wore his shirt and they stood side by side, looking very much like a couple. Though Jae Kyung was older than Min Kyu, he stood a couple of inches taller than her.

Jun Pyo frowned as his eyes took them in. "This is a couple fashion show?"

"Duh. Hence, the couple shirts." Jae Kyung said.

They heard music being played and knew that the fashion show had begun. They were seventh in line to walk. Jae Kyung examined the other couples in the lineup. Their shirts were cute, but she thought them too plain and boring. Her shirt, on the other hand, screamed so loud it could wake the dead, and she thought it was the most interesting one of the bunch. Min Kyu offered Jae Kyung his arm and she hooked her arm on his.

Jun Pyo watched them, at war within himself. Finally, he muttered a resigned "Aish!" and made his decision.

"Take it off." He barked at Min Kyu.

"Excuse me?"

"I said take it off."

"I can't. We're about to go on stage soon."

Jun Pyo took out several bills from his wallet. "I'll buy it off you."

Min Kyu's mouth dropped open. "But the show..."

"Yeah, what are you doing? We can't abandon these kids." Jae Kyung narrowed her eyes at him. "Go buy another shirt."

"_I'll wear it with her_," he mumbled. Min Kyu had to strain his ears to hear him, as the music was so loud. "Take it off." He repeated, his tone firm. The kid was wasting precious time. _His_ time.

Min Kyu hesitantly took the shirt off and handed it to him, who wrinkled his nose before putting it on.

Jae Kyung watched him in shock. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

"It's not like I have a choice."

She raised her brow at that. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, that kid has probably never done a fashion show in his life. Whereas _I_ have lots of experience with it. So if we want Kang San to win, _I _would be the perfect guy to do it with you." He knew Jae Kyung wasn't buying it, but at that moment he didn't care.

She hooked her arm around him, a small smile playing on the corner of her lips, and saw his expression soften.

"Can I give you a piece of advice?" Jae Kyung whispered in his ear.

"Sure."

"Try not to look so constipated all the time. Lighten up! Or I'll give you nothing but prune juice on our flight back," she teased.

Jun Pyo's mouth fell open and he stared at her incredulously. "You really have no filter in you, do you?"

She rolled her eyes, unaffected by his gaze. "I'm just saying. Look here, you're only going to be out there for what? Two, maybe three minutes tops. You should go and enjoy it. Show them what the heir of Shinhwa is made of. Prove to them that no matter what you're wearing, you'd kill it." She paused, then added, "unless you don't think you can do it?"

Her tone was clearly a challenge, and Jun Pyo rose to the occasion.

"Of course I can." He answered, as he straightened his stance.

"Then _show_ them."

The crowd went wild as soon as Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung stepped onto the stage. They held hands as they walked in their matching neon-orange shirts, looking very much like the couple that they were supposed to represent. Jae Kyung flashed her brilliant smile at everyone, while Jun Pyo wore his trademark scowl. They twirled at the center of the small stage, pausing for a few seconds for maximum effect, and listened to the deafening roar of the crowd.

Cameras flashed in a blinding frenzy. The screams were so loud Jan Di was certain she'd go deaf. She couldn't believe her eyes. Jun Pyo even looked like he was enjoying it out there (she swore she could see a hint of a smile beyond that scowl).

"Did I show them or what?" Jun Pyo sneered at Jae Kyung once they were behind the stage again.

"I gotta say, that was pretty impressive," Jae Kyung admitted.

Jun Pyo thrust his chest out and folded his arms across his chest. He looked absolutely smug. "And you doubted me."

…

The shirts sold out within ten minutes after the fashion show, and they even had orders for a hundred more shirts to be printed, all fully paid for. Kang San and his teammates were literally jumping up and down around their table. Even the principal came to officially congratulate the boys.

"Dude, you got the heir of Shinhwa AND the heir of JK Group to model those shirts for you?" Kang San's group mates exclaimed in disbelief. "You. Are. The. Man!"

Kang San looked and felt like he was ten feet tall. A large group of people crowded around Kang San and his team, and Jan Di could tell her brother was soaking up every minute of their victory.

"Guess who the most popular guy on campus is now?" Ji Hoo observed, as they all stared at Kang San proudly.

Jan Di and her friends waited for the crowd to ease a little before they approached Kang San's table. Kang San ran to Jae Kyung, eyes brimming with admiration and worship.

"Thank you! Thank you, my favorite noona!" His arms wrapped around a stunned Jae Kyung, who hugged him back after a moment's hesitation.

"Anytime, Kang San. It was fun!"

"Hyah!" Jan Di protested. "I'm right here, you know."

Kang San scoffed. "Look, if umma can call Ji Hoo her favorite son, then there's no reason I can't call Jae Kyung my favorite noona."

"He has a point there," Ji Hoo pointed out, while Jan Di directed her scowl at him.

"Oh sure, now you're taking his side?"

"Only for today." Ji Hoo winked.

"Well, that was _way_ _better_ than I hoped it would be," Yi Jung said, giving Jun Pyo a huge pat on the back. "Yup. I'm _so _glad it turned out this way."

Ga Eul sniggered. "I'm sure you are."

Yi Jung's eyes suddenly went wide, and he turned to Ji Hoo. "Wait. Does that mean..." His shoulders slumped. "...no Bohemian Rhapsody?"

Ji Hoo raised both palms up in the air. "Sorry, bud. Our deal was for you to do it so..."

"Hey, where did Woo Bin sunbae go?" Jan Di surveyed the faces of the crowd around them and Woo Bin was nowhere to be found.

"He left half an hour ago. I think he's worried about Hye Jin," Ga Eul answered. "She told me she couldn't make it today as she had a meeting to go to."

"And she didn't tell him that?"

"No. I told him it was probably a meeting he wasn't invited to and he took off right after." Ga Eul tapped her chin, pondering. "It was like he knew what it was."

Jan Di gave Ga Eul a worried look. "Do you think she's okay?"

Ga Eul nodded. "She just texted me ten minutes ago apologizing again for not making it today."

"I hope they're okay then." Jan Di couldn't shake the feeling that something was up.

"Hey, it's Woo Bin." Yi Jung reminded them. "For all you know, Hye Jin's just stuck in a work meeting and Woo Bin's just checking up on her. He's probably going to get screamed at for interrupting."

...

* * *

Hye Jin wrung her hands repeatedly as she sat inside a chic little Italian restaurant in the popular tourist neighborhood of Itaewon. She kept pulling the hem of her baby blue dress down, her mind in a panic about whether she had dressed properly for the occasion. She arrived a half an hour early, not wanting the matron of the Song clan to wait for her. Her heart was racing so fast she wondered if maybe she was having a heart attack. The glass of water that the waitress brought sat empty on the table. The waitress had refilled it a few times already, but Hye Jin found herself very thirsty that evening.

There were many people at the restaurant, most of them too observed in their own lives to notice her. Hye Jin didn't mind; she was used to being invisible.

When she got the call to meet Woo Bin's mother, she almost passed out in a panic. She recalled the very firm command she received at the end: _"Woo Bin is not to know about this. You are not to talk to him or mention this." _

Her phone started vibrating in her purse. She took it out and bit her lip.

Woo Bin.

She put the phone back in her purse, her hands shaking uncontrollably. She'd have to call him later and explain everything.

That is, if she survived the meeting.

She felt bad about missing out on the fashion show, and for ignoring Woo Bin's calls, but she knew from the tone of the call that it was not a request. From the information Woo Bin had told her so far, she knew his family, (ergo, his mother), was not a woman she wanted to cross. She was already invisible to most, but she did not want to disappear from everyone for good.

The door opened and a tall, modelesque girl walked in. She was stunning – the kind you can't stop staring at even when she's looking right at you. Her face, her hair, her figure, even the way she walked, was perfect. Heads in every table turned to gawk at her.

She tore her eyes away and looked down at her hands.

"Gosh. The traffic to get here was just ridiculous." A voice startled her.

She looked up and the girl who just walked in sat in front of her. Her eyes widened, and her mouth formed a perfect O.

"I'm sorry, what?" She asked, finding her voice at last. Was this Woo Bin's mother? If she was, she looked very young. And very beautiful. The girl eyed her up and down, and Hye Jin felt even smaller than normal.

"I said traffic sucks." The girl explained, as she hailed a passing waitress and ordered a glass of wine. "You're Hye Jin, right?"

"Yes. A-are you Woo Bin's mother?" She asked, puzzled.

The girl snorted. "Of course not."

She exhaled, relieved. "I thought you were. Who are you, then?"

The girl grinned. "My name's Kim Hee Won." She extended her hand and Hye Jin shook it. "I'm Woo Bin's fiancée."

…


	22. Chapter 21

"_I saw that you were perfect and I loved you._

_Then I saw that you were not perfect and I loved you even __more."_ \- Unknown

**Chapter 21**

"Excuse me, what?" Hye Jin wasn't sure she heard it right.

_Did she just say fiancée? Maybe I heard her wrong. But then again, not many words rhyme with fiancée. _

As if she could read her mind, the girl repeated it again.

"Fiancée. You know, like, future wife and all that jazz."

_Okay. Calm down._ Her heart wanted to jump out of her chest. There was a loud ringing in her ears she couldn't shake. "Um. I was supposed to meet his mother?"

Hee Won's mouth twisted to the side. "You get me instead. Surprised?"

The waiter brought out some menus. Hee Won scanned the menu while Hye Jin pretended to look at hers. Food was nowhere near her mind at that moment. When the waiter came back she absentmindedly pointed to something on the menu just so he could get out of the way.

"What do you do anyway?" Hee Won asked, as she swirled her glass. She asked the waiter to bring an entire bottle, and was looking like she was going to drink all of it by herself.

"I... I'm an engineer," she stammered. "A mechanical engineer. I work for -"

"Well, _I'm a model_." Hee Won cut in before she could finish. She saw the triumphant glint on Hee Won's eyes, who flicked her shiny hair around and fluttered her long, dark lashes at her.

"I... I can tell." She whispered. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Woo Bin?" She asked again, just to make sure. She knew there were thousands of Woo Bins around. Perhaps this was just an unfortunate coincidence.

_Oh__ please let this be a mistake._

Hee Won leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms in front of her. She stared at Hye Jin's face a little too long. Long enough to make her uncomfortable.

Even more uncomfortable than she already was.

When Hee Won spoke, her tone was condescending. "Song Woo Bin. Heir of a construction empire? Tall, dark and handsome? Playboy extraordinaire?"

"Was." Hye Jin corrected.

"Um. What?"

"He _was_ a playboy."

Hee Won sneered. "Obviously, he still is."

Hye Jin took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and counted to ten, hoping it was just a dream. She opened her eyes and Hee Won was still giving her a dirty look.

_Okay, take it easy. Something's not adding up here._

"How come he's never mentioned you before?" She asked. It would have been weird to have been going out with Woo Bin for over 6 months and not have heard anything about a fiancée, wouldn't it? Wouldn't his friends know? Surely they would have mentioned it to her? Jan Di and Ga Eul had become her close friends, her confidantes. They would have told her, wouldn't they? She didn't think they were that sort of people.

"Duh. Obviously because he didn't want you to know." Hee Won folded her arms on the table and leaned closer. "Maybe he didn't want to hurt your tiny, sensitive feelings?"

Something about the way she said it made Hye Jin fume inside. _I'll show you tiny! _The urge to smack the girl in front of her almost overcame her common sense. If there weren't that many people around them, she probably would have done it too. She normally hated confrontation and avoided conflict at all cost. But Hee Won was certainly testing her. She still couldn't believe Woo Bin would want to marry someone like Hee Won.

She tried to imagine Hee Won with Woo Bin, though it stung a little inside. Hee Won was certainly beautiful enough, and she was sure Woo Bin had dated numerous girls like her. Still, something didn't feel right. Hye Jin decided to do a little interrogation.

"How long have you guys been together?" She asked, making sure her voice wavered as she did so. She didn't want Hee Won to suspect anything.

"A long time."

She raised an eyebrow. "How long is that?"

Hee Won started twirling a lock of hair around her fingers, sighing exaggeratedly every few seconds.

_I'm sorry. Am I boring you?_ Hye Jin thought, but she stopped herself from saying it out loud.

Hee Won rolled her eyes. "Like, five years or so."

"Ah. I see." She said, the wheels turning in her head. "How come you weren't at Woo Bin's birthday party last week? That was a big one, and there were lots of people who came. Anyone close to Woo Bin showed up."

Hee Won paused for a few seconds before answering. "I was busy. I told him I couldn't make it. Besides, it would just be quite a scene if both of us were there, you know?"

"Ah. I see." She said again. "You're right. Especially since, you know, his mortal enemy showed up." She leaned closer and lowered her voice, as if about to tell the other girl a secret. "_You know about Yi Jung, right?_"

Hee Won scoffed. "Of course, I do. Woo Bin talks about him all the time."

"He didn't really tell me much, only that they've been bickering for a few years now. I think they fought over a girl. Ga Eul or something was her name, if I remember correctly?" Hye Jin was feeling better and better by the minute. "Those two boys can't stand each other." She tsked a couple of times. "Too bad. They could have been very good friends."

Hee Won yawned, obviously uninterested in the topic. "Boys will be boys, I suppose. I don't care about his fights. I only care about him."

She wanted to laugh then, but instead she took a deep breath in, exhaled slowly and leaned back in her chair. "Liar," she said.

"Excuse me?" Hee Won's nostrils flared. She obviously wasn't expecting Hye Jin to show some spunk. "What did you just call me?"

"I said you're a liar." Her voice was calm, confident.

"How dare you! How dare you call me -"

"You don't know Woo Bin at all," Hye Jin cut her off. "I don't know where you came from, or what game you guys are playing, but I want you to know that I'm not buying whatever you're selling."

"You have some nerve," Hee Won warned.

"First of, Woo Bin's birthday is next month," Hye Jin continued, ignoring Hee Won's threat.

"So I forgot. Big deal." Hee Won rolled her eyes. "My schedule is so busy I don't even know what month it is anymore."

"Second, Yi Jung is Woo Bin's best friend." Hye Jin was enjoying the look of shock on Hee Won's face. "They've been friends since they were kids. You'd think his fiancée would know that, since, you know, those two see each other even more than I see him."

Hee Won opened her mouth to speak, but Hye Jin went on.

"And third, I may have only known Woo Bin for less than a year, but I'm certain of one thing. He's not a liar." Or a cheat, for that matter, but that would be two things and she didn't want to correct herself in front of Hee Won.

"Ha! Spoken by a naïve, gullible person," Hee Won snorted. "Of course you wouldn't know if he's lying to you. _That's the point of lying_."

_Oh, but I would know._ Hye Jin thought. She didn't know why, but she could tell when someone was lying to her. Maybe it was the way they moved, or the tone of their voice, but give her a few minutes with someone, and she could tell whether they were legit or filling her full of it.

_And this girl in front me is most definitely full of it._

"How about we call Woo Bin and ask him, then?" Hye Jin challenged.

Hee Won straightened up on her chair. "You're going to bother his busy life just to ask?"

_He's at a fashion show. _Hye Jin wanted to say. _And I'm sure he'd be happy to know I'm here talking to you. Whoever you are._

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind," she said, as she took out her phone. Eleven missed calls. All from Woo Bin.

"You were told not to tell him about this!" Hee Won's voice was panicky. She whipped her head from side to side, as if expecting Woo Bin to show up any second.

"Don't you think that's a tad suspicious though?" Hye Jin said, enjoying the fact that she had the upper hand. "And quite convenient?"

"Fine." Hee Won narrowed her eyes. "Call him. Drag him here. See if I care."

_Oh, I know you do. _Hye Jin was deep in thought. Why would his mother send Hee Won? To scare her off? To make her feel unworthy of Woo Bin? She thought Woo Bin's mother wanted to meet her. She felt a little disappointed and at the same time relieved that his mother wasn't sitting in front of her.

...

Woo Bin heaved a deep sigh of relief when he saw Hye Jin inside the restaurant. She was talking to a girl whose back was facing him so he had no clue who she was. Hye Jin's mouth was set on a straight line, and her brows were crumpled, as if she'd been trying to figure something out for quite some time.

She didn't see him until he was right in front of her, and the look of shock on her face was so great he thought she might collapse there and then. The girl she was talking to turned to face him and frowned in annoyance.

"W-what are you doing here?" Hye Jin's voice shook, and he knew they instructed her not to tell him anything. He clenched his fists at the thought of someone threatening her.

"Just making sure you're okay," he said, through gritted teeth. He looked in the direction of Hee Won and his muscles went rigid. Fear crept slowly inside him, but he tried to stomp it out, knowing that Hye Jin needed him to be strong. He put his hands in his pockets and gathered enough courage before he spoke again. He lifted his chin up slightly, and took a deep breath in.

"Hello, mother." He greeted, his voice flat.

Hye Jin's eyes bulged out even more. She looked at the girl in front of her, then back at Woo Bin. "But I thought..." Her gaze flickered to Hee Won again. "She's your mother?" Hye Jin swallowed hard, looking even more confused than before. "But she's so young..."

Woo Bin gave a quick, dry laugh. "No," he said. "But she is." He pointed his chin behind Hee Won.

Hye Jin's mouth dropped open as she looked past Hee Won. Behind her sat an older woman who was wearing black from head to toe, and sat with her back straight as a pin. Her movements were fluid as she turned to look at Woo Bin in the eye.

"Hello, my son." She said. Her voice was like silk and she exuded such elegance that Hye Jin felt embarrassed just to be in her presence. Her head tilted so slightly that Hye Jin would have missed it if she had blinked. "I don't remember inviting you to this meeting," the woman said. Her tone had a hint of warning and something else in it. Amusement perhaps?

Woo Bin paused for a few seconds before answering, as if he was trying to think his words very carefully. "Well, mother. I don't think you are in this meeting, either." He turned to Hee Won and raised his chin up. "I'm sorry but, who are you?"

Hee Won frowned. "I'm your fiancée, dummy."

Woo Bin's brows shot up. Hye Jin wasn't sure if it was because he was surprised to see her there or the fact that she just called him a dummy. In front of his mother.

"Is that so?" He leaned over and gave her a suppressed smile. "In that case, I'm breaking up with you. Engagement's off. You can go now."

"B-but..." Hee Won stammered, her words trailing off into space.

"I don't have all day so I'd appreciate it if you hurried out of here." Woo Bin said, as he folded his arms across his chest. "I want to talk to _my girlfriend_ here." He gave Hye Jin such a flirty smile she felt her whole body flush. Hee Won stomped her feet as she stood up. She looked at Woo Bin's mother, who gave a slight dip of the head, and then gave Woo Bin a look full of such loathing it made Hye Jin shudder inside. Then she rushed out the door, almost taking out a waiter in the process.

Woo Bin seemed oblivious to Hee Won's abominable exit and sat on the chair she just vacated.

"Now we can have a proper meeting." He pulled another chair to their table, and then took Hye Jin's hand and held it.

Woo Bin's mother reluctantly sat with them. Hye Jin felt like throwing up - her head felt dizzy and confused - which would probably not make a good first impression on Woo Bin's mother.

"So... a fiancée, huh?" Woo Bin began, his eyes trained on his mother. "What's next? A jilted bride? A pregnant wife? A long lost son?" His voice was eerily calm, but Hye Jin could feel the tension in the air. It was so thick she could choke on it.

"Let's start from the beginning, shall we?" Woo Bin continued. He gestured to her. "Mother, this is Park Hye Jin, my girlfriend. Hye Jin, this is my mother, Choi Hyuna."

Hye Jin could swear she saw a flicker of amusement flash across the woman's eyes. She tried to pull her hand out of Woo Bin's grip, but he just held it tighter. She remembered Woo Bin saying he had never openly defied his mother. At least not in public. His behavior was probably a surprise to Madam Choi.

Hopefully, a surprise that wouldn't get them in serious trouble.

She forced a smile she was certain made her look like an idiot. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Choi."

_At least I didn't throw up._

The matron of the Song clan sat there, head held high, her face utterly devoid of emotion. "Very well." Was all she said.

_Although there is still time for that, I suppose._

A man in a black suit whispered something in Madam Choi's ear. It was then that Hye Jin noticed a lot of the restaurant patrons were men in black suits. She must have been so frazzled it escaped her attention. Or maybe she thought that was just the dress code. Madam Choi glanced at her watch and nodded.

"Well my son, I need to go. I have other matters to attend to." She brushed her skirt, stood up, and turned to leave.

"That's it?" Woo Bin called out.

"I heard what I needed to hear." Madam Choi gave him an amused smile before walking away.

Hye Jin sank in her seat as soon as Madam Choi was out of sight. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What just happened? At least she survived the meeting... or did she?

"Are you okay?" Woo Bin squeezed her hand. She nodded, her mind in a fog.

"What did she mean by that? She heard what she needed to hear?" She asked.

Woo Bin scrunched his lips. "Did you talk to her at all?"

"No. I didn't even know she was there." Then a light bulb went off in her head. "But I did talk to your fiancée for a while."

"Don't call her that." Woo Bin groaned. "You know I've never seen her before, right? I don't know where my mother found that one. Some modeling agency, perhaps."

"No wonder she was so beautiful," Hye Jin said, and she couldn't help feeling a pinch of jealousy at the looks Hee Won was blessed with.

"So are you." Woo Bin said, his face serious.

"You two would have looked great together," Hye Jin said, unintentionally voicing her thoughts out loud.

"If people got married all for looks, the world would be in a lot of trouble right now, don't you think?" Woo Bin gave her an amused smirk. "Don't tell me you fell for that fiancée act?"

She shook her head. "I kinda had a hunch since, you know, she was clueless when it came to you." She frowned. "Although I do feel a little insulted."

"How come?"

"Well, I thought if your mother was trying to scare me off, she would at least send someone who knew you. Not just your name and your reputation. It was almost too easy to tell she was a fake."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm glad you knew it wasn't true."

The waiter arrived carrying two huge plates. He set one in front of Hye Jin and a pasta dish with white sauce in front of Woo Bin.

"At least she ordered something I can eat," Woo Bin remarked, looking at his plate. He glanced at Hye Jin's plate and chuckled. "You ordered liver and onions?"

She made a face. "I was distracted, okay?"

"What did you do, closed your eyes and pointed?"

He knew her so well. "Maybe?"

Woo Bin started twirling pasta with his fork. "I was so worried about you I haven't eaten all day." He swallowed two forkfuls before he looked at her again.

"I'm sorry," she said, staring at her plate.

"Are you apologizing to me or your plate?"

"To you. Mostly." She winced. She cut a piece of the liver and popped it in her mouth. It was not as bad as she thought. She put her fork down and pinched the bridge of her nose. Her head throbbed, and she had no appetite. She caught Woo Bin's eyes and held it. "I assume this was a test, though. Do I dare ask if I passed?"

Woo Bin gave her a sad smile. "I don't think this was a test for you," he said. "I'm pretty sure this was a test for me."

"Oh?"

When Ga Eul joked that perhaps Hye Jin was in a meeting Woo Bin wasn't invited to, he knew he had to find her as soon as possible. Especially when she hadn't contacted him all day, except for a quick text message that said: _I'm fine. Don't worry about me. _

After his calls to Hye Jin went unanswered, he decided to call his mother. He left her several voice messages, mostly asking her to give Hye Jin a chance. And telling his mother he'll find her no matter what. His mind was in a state of panic, so he wasn't thinking clearly when he'd left threatening messages for _his own mother_. Something he'd never done before. He was certain she would make him pay for it.

He knew his chances of finding them were slim to none, and he was terrified maybe he was too late. His search was futile, and he almost gave up. Knowing he had nothing left to lose, he decided to ask one of his guards where his mother was and the information was freely given to him. No threats required. It shocked him so much he thought they were lying to him, maybe giving him false information to derail him. But it was all true. If his mother really didn't want him to know where they were, he'd be an old man before anyone told him anything.

He exhaled loudly. "She wanted to see how much I liked you."

"Oh."

He gave her shy grin. "And I think she saw that I liked you a lot."

Enough for him to do things he had never done before.

Hye Jin felt her cheeks pinkening and she averted her eyes from him.

"I thought she wanted to see me to, you know, order me to stay away from you," she said, her voice small.

Woo Bin looked up, and she could see his Adams apple bob up and down as he swallowed hard. "My mother would never call a girl over and throw water at her face or offer her a huge sum of money just to ask her to stay away from her son." He met her eyes. "She doesn't waste time on things like those. If she wants you gone you just sort of... disappear."

Hye Jin gulped. "How many times has that happened before?"

He stuck his lower lip out and blew out a breath. "You're the first one she's actually met."

"Well that's... nice. I think." She didn't know whether she should feel privileged or terrified.

_Terrified. Definitely terrified._

He gave her a lopsided grin. "Don't worry. She wouldn't have come here in person if she wasn't curious. And she would have left before I arrived if she disliked you." His mother knew he was coming.

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Does that mean she likes me?"

Woo Bin pulled her hand close to his face and gently kissed the back of it. "I think it means she doesn't hate you. And for now, that's good enough."

…

* * *

_Author's note: Thank you to those who have stayed with me so far. I appreciate it! _

_To the guest reviewer Mary: I couldn't reply to you so please know that you made my little heart so happy with your comment. Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to let me know. I hope you see this._


	23. Chapter 22

"_It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them._" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

**Chapter 22**

"Any news?" Jun Pyo asked as Woo Bin arrived at his house. A servant came and tried to offer Woo Bin some drinks but he politely declined.

"I won't be long," he said, as the servant bowed and left the room.

"Have a seat." Jun Pyo gestured to the plush velvet couch. Woo Bin sat down and clasped his hands in front of him.

"My men have tracked them all the way to Mokpo," Woo Bin reported. "They can't leave Korea. The cops are right on their tail, too."

"Does Ji Hoo know?"

"No." Woo Bin replied. "He doesn't know we're still going after those guys. He's left it all to the cops."

Jun Pyo leaned back on the couch. "What are you going to do if you catch them?"

Woo Bin met Jun Pyo's eyes. "You don't want to know."

Jun Pyo exhaled loudly. "Maybe we should leave this to the cops."

"Oh?"

"Ji Hoo doesn't want us to get involved."

"You told him?"

"He knows." Jun Pyo smirked. "He knows we're still looking."

"Ah, of course he does. And are we going to listen?"

"I don't know," Jun Pyo answered. "I think we should." Before Woo Bin could contradict him, Jun Pyo added, "I put a guard on Ji Hoo. Discreetly. Though I'm sure he knows about it by now, he hasn't complained yet."

Woo Bin chuckled. "So did I. I put a few men on Ji Hoo and Yi Jung. Just as a precaution."

Jun Pyo grinned at him. "Good." He ran a hand through his wavy hair. Even though he had it straightened the curls he tried to hide would occasionally show up uninvited.

"You excited to go back to New York?"

"I'm excited to go back to work," was all he said in answer.

Woo Bin contemplated for a few seconds. "You coming back for the wedding?"

A sigh escaped his throat. "I'm not sure."

He had been okay seeing the two of them together, had accepted it even. But a wedding was different. Could he handle seeing his best friend marry his ex-fiancé? He'd like to think so. He loved them both, but did he love them_ together_? He felt neither anger nor pain whenever he saw them together, but there were times when he felt the smallest of tugs, hints of previous attachments buried deep inside.

_Now I know how Ji Hoo felt all those years._

He knew he wouldn't do anything to stop the wedding. He had made peace with that. But seeing Jan Di in a wedding dress walking towards Ji Hoo was something he probably wasn't ready for... yet. He was healing and finding his own happiness, thanks in part to Jae Kyung, but weddings were a completely different beast to deal with.

Woo Bin put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Whatever you decide, bro, they'll understand. They will."

...

Jan Di had just sat down to eat breakfast when her phone rang. She debated whether to pick it up or wait until after she was done eating, but when she saw Hye Jin's number she decided to pick up. Hye Jin rarely called her lately.

"What's up?" she answered.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"What the boys are doing today."

"No, I didn't. Ji Hoo just said they were hanging out. Jun Pyo's leaving tomorrow so they thought they'd all do something fun together."

"They're at the race track!" came Hye Jin's excited voice. "They're racing today!"

"What?" Jan Di shook her head. "No, no, no. Ji Hoo can't... He's not well enough yet!" What was he thinking? How could the other boys let him race? What if he passed out on the race course?

"I'm on my way there to watch. You wanna come? I can swing by to pick you up? I think Ga Eul's heading there also." Hye Jin sounded so excited she didn't notice Jan Di was hyperventilating on the phone.

Thoughts of Ji Hoo's car crashing and exploding in a fury of flames taunted her mind. Panic started to build up inside her. She grabbed her coat.

"Of course I'm coming." And she was going to give Ji Hoo and the rest of the boys a good talking-to.

When they arrived there Jan Di ran as fast as her legs could carry her into the locker room. When she didn't see the boys there, she went upstairs and saw Ga Eul looking outside the window.

"Hey, you made it!" Ga Eul greeted, handing her a steaming mug filled with hot liquid. Jae Kyung stood right beside her, taking sips out of her own mug while staring out at the track.

"Are they out of their minds?" Jan Di looked out the window but couldn't see anything. Was it finished? Where were they? "Ji Hoo's in no condition to race! He'll crash! He'll get seriously hurt! He'll..."

"Relax," Jae Kyung placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Come on, let's go outside. You'll see."

All four girls went outside to get up close to the racers. Jan Di's eyes widened as she saw the four boys getting ready. All four were smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh." Was all Jan Di could say.

...

Woo Bin was stretching his legs in preparation for the race when his phone rang.

"_Boss, we found them_." Came the hoarse voice from the other line. "_But the cops are on the way here too._"

Woo Bin cursed inwardly. He could hear the faint sounds of sirens in the background. The other three boys were staring at him, and Ji Hoo looked especially interested in eavesdropping.

"Just give them a warning they won't forget." Woo Bin's voice was hard. "Then you can let the cops have them."

"_Yes, boss._"

He was just going to make sure they knew not to touch one of his friends. Once Woo Bin had finished barking orders on the phone, he hung up.

The other three exchanged glances at each other.

"My men found them. They won't be bothering us again."

"What are they going to do?" Ji Hoo looked uneasy.

"Don't worry." Woo Bin's face was dead serious. "I just want them to know not to mess with us. We're adults now. Adults who won't take things like that lightly. We don't mess around. We mean business! Serious, high profile, adult business!" Then his face slowly broke into a huge grin. "Wheelchair race?"

The others nodded and grinned back.

"Wheelchair race!" they all shouted in unison.

...

Jan Di and the other girls had gone downstairs to watch the boys from the sidelines. The black and white checkered flag that signaled the finish line hung a few feet away from them. They were only using a small part of the track for their race – a straight line from start to finish.

"Who would have thought four grown men would be in here having a wheelchair race, huh?" Ga Eul asked the others, as they watched the boys stretch and prepare for the race.

"Especially those four," Jan Di pointed. She smiled at the sight of them, relieved that they were doing something Ji Hoo could do. She should have known.

"My money's on Ji Hoo. He's got the most recent experience on it," Hye Jin piped in.

"I don't know... Ji Hoo, Jun Pyo and Woo Bin all had to use a wheelchair at some point in their lives. I think Yi Jung's never been in one, though." Jan Di mused out loud. "He might have a tough time."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Ga Eul snorted. "You know, Yi Jung actually bought a wheelchair just to practice, which he did for two hours straight last night. _As if_ he couldn't get any weirder."

Jae Kyung's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"

"I seriously can't make stuff like that up," Ga Eul answered.

...

Two workers watched as the boys raced around the track. The screams and laughter coming from the boys showed how much they were enjoying their little race.

"Well, that's something you don't see every day," one of them observed, shaking his head. "What rich people do nowadays scares me. All that money's gone through their heads, most likely. Racing with wheelchairs! Ha!"

"Yeah, you'd think they'd be rich enough to be able to afford race cars," the other worker commented, watching them in disbelief.

…

The boys raced around the track three times. Yi Jung claimed victory the first round, Woo Bin the next, and they never finished the last one because Jun Pyo's wheelchair tipped over and the boys stopped the race to help. Their bright, glowing faces and roars of laughter told the girls the injury was nothing serious though, and that the boys were having the time of their life.

"That looked like fun!" Hye Jin exclaimed. "I want to try it too!"

"I don't know..." Ga Eul looked at the wheelchairs uncertainly.

"My arms are sore," Ji Hoo complained, rotating his arms as he did so. Jan Di gave him a sympathy pat on the back.

"Yeah, you girls need strong arms to do this," Woo Bin agreed. "My arms are a bit sore, too."

Hye Jin's shoulders slumped and Jan Di could see the disappointment on her face.

"Let's give it a shot," she urged the others. "We could just do it for fun. We don't have to race."

"But racing IS fun," Yi Jung remarked. "We need some excitement! Some competition to get the blood flowing."

"I think you're all the excitement we need today," Ga Eul mumbled.

"Ooohh... how about we compete as teams?" Yi Jung suggested, his face glowing with unhindered enthusiasm. "We can push you girls to the finish line!"

Yi Jung looked at Ji Hoo and suddenly remembered his condition. "Oh. Never mind."

Jan Di had an idea. "How about _we_ push _you_ guys to the finish line?"

"Seriously?" Ji Hoo asked, but he couldn't hide the eagerness on his face.

"Yes," she confirmed. "Our arms won't get sore pushing you, and you can still participate. Plus we'll get quite the workout running."

Jun Pyo frowned. "You want the girls to push us? _These_ girls?"

"Hey, watch it!" Jae Kyung narrowed her eyes at him. "We're stronger than we look."

"I'm in!" Hye Jin was already standing behind Woo Bin's chair.

Jun Pyo looked doubtfully at Hye Jin.

"Are you sure you can do this?" he asked her.

Hye Jin raised her chin up proudly. "Watch me."

Woo Bin just chuckled.

"_Don't underestimate that one_," Yi Jung whispered in Jun Pyo's ear. "She may look tiny, but she's fast. She's like a ninja!"

"Fine, I guess me too," Ga Eul relented. "As long as I'm just pushing."

"It's a race, so you have to push fast." Yi Jung explained. "And by that, I mean push me to the finish line, not to the concrete divider okay?"

"Tempting," Ga Eul replied. "You keep giving me ideas."

"We should have team names," Woo Bin suggested. "You know, to make it more competitive."

The others murmured in agreement. Each couple huddled together to discuss what their team should be called, all except for Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung, who stood there observing the others with great amusement. Jun Pyo tapped his foot impatiently on the ground.

"You guys done yet?" Jun Pyo asked.

The others nodded, huge smiles plastered on their faces.

"Well?" Jun Pyo asked again.

Yi Jung and Ga Eul went first. "We've decided to be called... ready for this? Team SoEul!"

"Seoul?" Jun Pyo echoed.

"No, So-Eul! You know, our last names combined." Yi Jung explained. "Like SoEulmates! Clever, huh?"

Jun Pyo's expression suggested he did not think it was clever. He turned to Woo Bin. "I hope you guys came up with something better than _that_."

Woo Bin looked hopefully at Hye Jin. "Umm... Team WooJin?" was all Hye Jin could blurt out. He gave Hye Jin a high five. "I like it! It sounds like a ninja name."

Jun Pyo rolled his eyes, and then waited for Ji Hoo and Jan Di to speak.

"We're Team JanHoo." Jan Di declared while Ji Hoo gave her two thumbs up.

"Seriously?" Jun Pyo snorted. "You guys and your lame team names."

"And what is _your_ team name?" Yi Jung asked, looking at Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung.

"We don't need a -" Jun Pyo started to answer, but Jae Kyung interrupted him.

"We're The Fast and The Furious."

"Hey, now that's a winning name!" Jun Pyo complimented, obviously pleased with Jae Kyung's choice. "How did you come up with that?"

"Well, I'm fast and you're _always_ furious," Jae Kyung answered, without missing a beat. "Or we could also call ourselves Beauty and the Beast. That works too."

"Aish, this woman," was all he could utter, but the look he gave her had a certain softness that didn't escape Jan Di's notice.

"Wait, what's the prize?" Hye Jin inquired, excitedly.

"Prize?" The boys looked confused.

"Yes. Prize. We're having a race. Whoever wins should get a prize, right?"

The boys shrugged and looked at each other for an answer.

"Well, we're all rich so we don't really need money as a prize," Yi Jung stated.

"That's true," Hye Jin acknowledged.

Jan Di's eyes widened as an idea popped into her head. "Oooh. How about this? The losers get to wear Kang San's shirts for a week!"

"What?" Yi Jung looked mortified. "You want me to wear the same gaudy shirt for a week?"

Jan Di arched an eyebrow at him. "You sound like someone who's given up already."

Yi Jung scowled. "I'm just saying. Just in case."

"You guys can buy seven of those shirts if you don't want to wear the same one every day. You can certainly afford it," Jan Di reasoned.

Ji Hoo chuckled. "She's got a point. I'm in."

"Of course you're in," Yi Jung grumbled. "She could have suggested we walk around in nothing but banana leaves and you'd still say yes."

Ga Eul's brows shot up. "Now THAT would be interesting. I may have to lose on purpose." Yi Jung directed a glare at her that she ignored.

"We're in too," Woo Bin said, then he immediately added, "Wearing the shirts if we lose, that is, not the banana leaves."

"Fine. Us too." Yi Jung finally said. "Because we're winning this thing."

"That's the spirit!" Hye Jin exclaimed.

They all turned to Jae Kyung and Jun Pyo.

"Hey, I like those shirts." Jae Kyung reminded them. She elbowed Jun Pyo to answer.

"_Whatever_," Jun Pyo muttered.

"We should do some practice runs with the girls to see if this would actually work," Woo Bin suggested.

The rest of the group murmured their agreement.

A few minutes later...

"Left! Left! Turn left!" Yi Jung shouted at Ga Eul. "Not that left! Your _other_ left! _OTHER_ LEFT!"

"Left, my foot! The track is a STRAIGHT line!" Ga Eul shouted back. "Will you just hush and let me push!"

"We will not lose!" Yi Jung's voice was determined. "We CANNOT lose! Don't you dare lose!"

Jan Di and Ji Hoo exchanged looks.

"Maybe stay away from those two," Ji Hoo advised.

"Good idea," Jan Di agreed.

"Can't you push any faster?" Jun Pyo asked Jae Kyung. "At this rate we'd be lucky if we even make it to the finish line!"

Jae Kyung stopped and placed both hands on her hips. "You're quite heavy, you know. Maybe you should lay off the fishcakes for a bit, huh?"

Jun Pyo looked hurt. "Are you saying I'm fat?" He pointed to his stomach. "This is not fat, it's all muscle! Haven't you ever heard that muscle weighs more than fat?"

"Whatever you say." Jae Kyung rolled her eyes, obviously not buying it.

"_Maybe stay away from those two also_," Ji Hoo whispered to Jan Di.

...

The girls all stood behind their men, fingers flexed, and legs ready to run.

Ji Hoo looked lovingly at Jan Di.

"You got this?" He asked.

She nodded, face filled with grim determination. The weeks they'd spent running in the mornings had prepared her for this. She did some leg and arm stretches and jogged in place to warm up. Her eyes narrowed and focused on the finish line. That checkered flag that swung freely in the breeze was theirs. She gripped the handles on his wheelchair and put her war face on.

"Oh yeah, I _so_ got this."

The countdown began.

"Ready?"

"Set?"

"Go!"

And then they were off.

….

* * *

...

A knock on the door startled Jan Di as she was getting ready for bed. She slowly opened it and found Ji Hoo looking up at her with a wide grin on his face.

"What?" she asked, suspiciously. She glanced around to see if Grandfather was still up. He had arrived a few hours ago, exhausted but happy to be back home. After telling them about his latest adventures, he gave Ji Hoo a long lecture on being safe and paying attention to his surroundings. She could hear the faint sounds of snoring coming from Grandfather's room, and was glad he was resting already.

"I can't sleep," Ji Hoo said, his grin turning upside down.

She gave an unexpected laugh. "Are you still upset about losing to Yi Jung and Ga Eul?"

"That was a pretty hard pill to swallow, wasn't it? Those two are_ way_ too competitive for my liking. I specifically did not enjoy the victory dance they gave at the end."

She remembered the loud groans from Jun Pyo and Woo Bin when Yi Jung won. And the dance that had her and the other girls roaring with laughter. "I wonder how long they've been wanting to do that?"

"We probably don't want to know," Ji Hoo said. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced around her room. "You sleepy?"

She shook her head. "Not even a little bit."

"Is it because you're wondering how you'll survive in those shirts for a week?"

"Oh no. I'm staying in for a week. No going outside for me. I'm putting myself on house arrest."

"Good idea. Can I join you on house arrest?"

The smile on her face was all the answer he needed.

"Do you think the others will actually wear it for a week?" she wondered.

"Yi Jung will make sure they do. He's even threatened to video call each of us at random times in the day so he can check."

"For real?"

"Yeah. Jun Pyo wasn't too happy about it, but I told him he could just wear it under his suit for meetings, which seemed to calm him down a bit," Ji Hoo explained.

He paused for a few seconds, as if hesitating whether to proceed. Then his grin came back. "If you're not sleepy yet, can I suggest something?" A splash of red dotted his cheeks. "I have an idea."

"Oh?" Her heart skipped a few beats but she tried to rein her excitement in. It was past 10 at night. Whatever idea Ji Hoo had would probably be short lived. That smile was distracting her though, and he looked so adorable when he blushed, which wasn't very often (it was mostly her that did the blushing), so it was taking everything she had not to smile back at him.

She tried to remind herself that Ji Hoo was still recovering and needed to rest. "Don't you think you should get some sleep?" She put on her stern voice. Her "mom" voice as Kang San called it.

"Do you want to hear it?" he said, ignoring her question.

_That smile. He knows it gets me every time._

She crossed her arms and leaned back against the door frame. "Okay. Tell me."

"Let's go somewhere."

"Right now?"

"Right now."

_What?_

She didn't have to say it out loud. He could read it on her face.

"Well, I can't sleep and you can't sleep and I've been thinking of something I'd wanted to do with you for quite some time now."

Sudden warmth enveloped her entire being. She adjusted the collar of her dress and pretended to be distracted by the blue curtains that hung on her bedroom window. Well, _Ji Hoo's_ guest bedroom window.

The way Ji Hoo stared at her told her he was thinking of something different than what she thought. Blood rushed to her cheeks and she considered turning the lights off so he wouldn't see how red she was.

_Mind out of the gutter, Jan Di!_ she lectured herself. She cleared her throat before speaking again. "What did you have in mind?"

"Let's spend the night outside."

"In the wild?"

It was his turn to laugh. "No. Out. On the beach. Let's stay up all night and watch the sun rise together." He looked shyly at her with those irresistible eyes. "I've always wanted to do that with you."

She'd have to be made out of stone not to fall for _that_. It took her a few seconds before she grinned back at him and nodded.

"How are we getting there?" she asked. Then she placed her hands on her hips. "Don't tell me Mister Gil can't sleep either?"

"He's still up," Ji Hoo said. "He'll just drop us off there and come back for us bright and early in the morning."

He had everything planned out it seemed.

"Are you sure about this?" Even though she knew his answer, she thought she'd ask him again.

He took her hand, gave it a squeeze and beamed. "I'm_ always_ sure about this."

She felt her cheeks burning again but she didn't try to hide it this time. "You... never cease to amaze me."

"Oh, you just wait." He winked playfully at her. "I packed us some pillows and blankets. And some snacks in case we get hungry." He gestured to the front door where Mister Gil stood waiting.

She shook her head in disbelief but followed him out the door and into the warm car. The drive to the beach took them an hour, and even though it was late, Jan Di was way too excited to fall asleep. Mister Gil walked ahead of them and set down their things. Jan Di wheeled Ji Hoo as far as she could until they hit the sand.

"This is as far as we can go with your wheels," she observed. The lamp posts were dim where they were, and she looked around to make sure they were safe.

Ji Hoo stood up and started hobbling onto the sand, so she put his arm around her and helped him hop a few steps until they got to a blanket laid out on the beach. Ji Hoo plopped down on it and patted the space beside him.

She glanced around. It was darker where they were, and she was afraid someone would pounce on them. Maybe this was a bad idea.

"It's safe, don't worry," Ji Hoo said, reading her thoughts. "There are eyes on us as we speak."

This caused her to whip her head frantically around, searching for those eyes. "Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I'm pretty sure Woo Bin's got someone tailing me since I got out of the hospital. And since it's late, he seems to have brought back-up." He pointed a few steps behind them. Jan Di squinted her eyes and could make out a few shapes moving in the dark.

Ji Hoo pointed to the left of them. "There's a few there too."

Jan Di still wasn't convinced. "How do you know they're Woo Bin's?"

"I asked them. And I know one of them."

Jan Di breathed a sigh of relief. "I guess that's one way to find out."

Ji Hoo started taking items out of the bags Mister Gil had set down. He handed her a pillow and another blanket, then took some out for himself. He pulled out a couple of bottles of water.

"This reminds me of a movie I saw once," she remembered out loud._ A Walk to Remember_, she told herself. She watched it with Ga Eul many, many years ago. In fact, it was when she saw that movie that she realized she loved Ji Hoo.

"Look," he pointed to the skies where hundreds of stars dotted the night. He pointed to a cluster of oddly spaced, bright stars. "That's Orion. It's my favorite constellation."

"Why?"

"Because I can see it no matter where in the world I am. Anywhere I've gone, I've been able to spot it. And because it's one of the most conspicuous and most recognizable constellations in the sky."

He pointed to three adjacent stars. They shone so bright that Jan Di couldn't have missed it.

"That's Orion's belt." Ji Hoo explained. "And that's his head. And his sword. And..."

She listened attentively as he talked about Orion, about the stars, the constellations, and the meaning of them. She thanked heaven that the skies were clear that night, as if they were meant to star gaze that evening. The sound of the waves lapping the shore made the whole experience that much more beautiful.

"Thank you," she said, simply and truthfully.

He put an arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. Together, they watched the stars and talked about everything and nothing at the same time.

The breeze picked up a little and Jan Di pulled the blanket tighter around them. Ji Hoo took out a thermos and poured two steaming cups of tea. He then asked Jan Di to light up a few tiki torches that were placed strategically around them.

"Did you get Mister Gil to do this, too?" Jan Di asked in wonder.

"No. I asked Yi Jung to set these up earlier."

"Yi Jung? You woke him up to come here and do this?"

Ji Hoo chuckled. "He was already up. And don't worry, this one's going to cost me. A lot."

She pushed him playfully on the shoulder. "You shouldn't have done that."

His lips curved upward. "It was worth it."

She glanced at her watch. They still had a few hours before sun rise. "What now?" she asked, though she didn't mind just sitting there with him. Sleep was slowly sneaking up on her though, and she was trying to fight its intrusion.

He gave her a smile that said he knew exactly how to keep them occupied until sun rise. He began rummaging through the bags, pulled out a black, coiled notebook and a pen, and then handed them to her. She raised an eyebrow at him in question.

"Let's write our bucket list," he says, his eyes locking with hers.

"Bucket list?"

"Yes. Things we'd like to do together. As a couple."

The idea excited her. A bucket list together! A flood of ideas burst into her mind and she started writing.

_Get married._ She wrote as number one.

"I think that's a given," he argued. He was silent for a few seconds before he spoke again. He took the pen and wrote: _Have four kids._

"What?" She gaped at him. "FOUR?"

He nodded. "Yes. Just like the F4. Wouldn't you love to have four sons like us?"

"Oh no. No, I wouldn't." A young Ji Hoo was maybe manageable. But a young Jun Pyo? Or a young Yi Jung? Trying to rein those two in would be like being a blind ringmaster in a circus. She shrugged at the horror of it all.

"You know, I always wished I had siblings. I was lucky to have found my brothers, of course, but I think it would be fun to have four kids," Ji Hoo explained.

She scratched out the word "four" and left only: _Have kids_. "Let's talk about quantity later." Much, much later.

_Watch the sun set and sun rise on the same day._ Ji Hoo scribbled.

_Climb a mountain together._ Jan Di wrote.

"What kind of mountain?" he asked her.

"Any mountain."

"Like the one we went camping in? Does that count?"

"Climb a mountain with _just_ the two of us. And _I'll_ navigate this time," she teased.

She jotted down another one: _See the Pyramids of Egypt._

"Your wish is my command," he said. His next list surprised her a little: _Visit Paris together._

"Really?" She knew the last time he went to Paris was to visit Seo Hyun.

"Yes. I want to take you there. I think you'd like it."

She was about to write another one when he started scribbling again. "I have a good one," Ji Hoo chirped.

_Play hide and seek in IKEA._

She burst into giggles when she read his last entry, imagining the looks they would get doing that.

"Imagine the possibilities in there." Ji Hoo's eyes twinkled with mischief.

_Prank call a mutual friend._ Jan Di listed. Then she and Ji Hoo exchanged knowing glances and both of them blurted out "Yi Jung!" before they burst out laughing.

_Start a random, new tradition together._

Jan Di's pen worked feverishly, jotting down ideas.

They spent the next hour or two laughing, arguing, and compromising about the rest of their bucket list. It involved travels, adventures, and even simple things like making kimchi togeth_e_r_._ Their list grew and grew, but so did their excitement. She knew without a doubt he would try and fulfill every single one of them.

The minutes ticked by in a blur.

Jan Di opened her eyes as she felt a warm kiss land on her forehead. She didn't realize she had fallen asleep, and she woke up nestled into his arms, wrapped tightly in a blanket. She felt so warm and cozy that she snuggled even deeper into his embrace.

"_The sun's coming up,_" Ji Hoo whispered, pushing a lock of hair away from her face.

She turned in time to see the sun peeking out from behind the clouds, its rosy pink glow turning into hues of red and orange, then tinged with a slight shade of blue. Then a little purple poked through, followed by bright golden yellow. There it stayed, high and proud, and absolutely wonderful. She was mesmerized by it, by the beauty of it all.

"I've seen countless sunrises, but I'm always startled by its beauty," Ji Hoo observed, as they both stared at the sky in pure admiration.

"I'm glad you shared it with me," she said, as her eyes traveled the length of his face.

He held her gaze, his eyes brimming with intense adoration. "_Everything is better with you_."

She leaned closer to him until her face was an inch away from his. She whispered what she had always known. "_Everything has been better since you._" She closed the gap and kissed him, her mouth covering his, her hands pulling his face even closer to hers.

The sunrise she just saw was nothing compared to the sunshine in front of her.

_I fell in love with him for a reason. There is no one like him._

On the way back to Ji Hoo's house, Ji Hoo fell asleep in the car. Jan Di stroked his hair as she stared fondly at the list they came up with. She turned to the first page and wrote: "_JanHoo's Bucket List_" at the very top.

And then, at the end of the list, she wrote one of her favorite quotes. She was never much to believe in princesses or fairy tales. Her mother had slapped some sense into her from a very young age that people in their social status could not afford to live in fairy tales and that knights in shining armors would not rescue extremely poor (and not very girly) damsels in distress. But she couldn't help but think her life with Ji Hoo was very much like a fairy tale. One she knew would have a happy ending. Her eyes glossed over the quote again before she closed the little book:

"_Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale._"

...

* * *

~ The End of Part 3 ~

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_..._

_*Author's note: Well, that was a lot of fun! I always have fun writing, it's my stress reliever. I hope you guys enjoyed this short story. I tend to add a Bonus Chapter after each story so I will be adding one here when I get a chance._

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_*****Bonus Chapter(s) have been added! Please check it out*** (they're the next three chapters)**_

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**Edit: 7/11/19:** Thank you Wraith, Janel and 'guests' - thank you for your wonderful review/comments! I got a few messages asking for more - I am working on it. It's summer so taking it slow! Lol. I do hope you guys will also read my Alternate Universe (AU) story on JanHoo called "Strength of Heart". Even if you're not familiar with Avatar The Last Airbender, I will write quick little intros/descriptions to explain this world with you. I promise it will have the same lovable characters as my stories. I try to keep them in character still (as close as I can to the story anyway). It will be a chance to write JanHoo falling in love from the beginning. Still full of fluff, this time some action, and yes, funny stuff - everything you've come to love about the way I write / my stories. And yes, it will have the F4, Jan Di, Ga Eul and some new characters. It's in the crossover section of this site and you can also find it under My Stories. I hope you'll give it a chance. Thank you!

* * *

_If you're curious to see what stories I am working on right now, please visit my profile page. (And yes, there's a Part 4 called "The Wedding" to come because a very good friend requested it and since she's just the sweetest I couldn't possibly say no, could I? :)_

_I appreciate all the love and reviews! Please let me know what you think! I can't even tell you how much I love hearing from you guys. Hearing someone enjoyed my stories makes my heart so happy!_

_Thank you so much for giving my stories a chance. Thank you for your time._

_Your humble servant,_

_~cutestuff024~_

_#teamjanhoo #jihoo4life_


	24. BONUS STORY: The Heist

_**Author's Note:** Well, October marks 1 year since I joined fanfiction. Can you believe it? It's been a year! I took a few months off this summer because life got really busy, but I knew I had to publish something to mark this milestone. I know I'm relatively new to the world of fanfiction compared to the more established writers here, but I want to thank every one of you who have read, followed, and of course, reviewed my stories. Thank you! I hope to continue to entertain you in the future._

_Please leave a review!_

_Special shout out to my friend Ruby - thank you for not giving up on me. :)_

* * *

"_A good friend knows all your best stories. A best friend has been there to live them with you._" - Unknown

**BONUS STORY:** **THE HEIST **

"Are you for real?" Woo Bin's voice sounded a little annoyed, and Hye Jin could see his brows almost touching.

He mumbled a few more words that she couldn't understand and then hung up. She knew he'd been talking to Yi Jung. Not wanting to seem nosy, she picked up the lone magazine on top of the steel patio table and began absently flipping through it.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Woo Bin's voice cut through her thoughts. His tone wasn't that of reproach, but rather of mild amusement.

"Huh?" She looked at him as innocently as she could, afraid he heard her eavesdropping on his conversation earlier. Not that it was a big deal, but still.

Woo Bin pointed at the magazine in her hand. She turned it over and dropped it as soon as she read the cover.

"Beautiful Fall Weddings." The cover screamed at her.

The smirk on Woo Bin's face made her want to run and hide, but she had been with him long enough to know when he was teasing her so she threw the magazine at him instead. She missed.

"You wish," she said, as she stuck her tongue out at him. "You know very well that's Jan Di's."

He merely chuckled in response, and she hoped her face wasn't as flushed as she felt.

The door slid open and Jan Di came out pushing Ji Hoo towards them. A servant followed with a cart filled with treats and drinks. She set them on the table, and the four of them started munching on the snacks.

"Nice shirt," Woo Bin complimented, as Ji Hoo answered with an eye roll.

"You too," Ji Hoo teased.

"Well, I guess if we're going to vow not to go out for a week, we may as well do it together," Jan Di laughed.

The four of them wore identical bright shirts as punishment for losing the race.

"How's the foot?" Woo Bin asked.

"Better. I had them take the cast off and replaced with a boot. It's easier to manage."

"Wouldn't that take longer to heal?" Hye Jin asked, bending over to have a closer look at the boot. It was black and the bottom was made of plastic, with straps crisscrossing its length from the toes to Ji Hoo's calf.

Jan Di bent down to adjust the velcro straps, checking to make sure it was tight enough. "It's just a very tiny, non-displaced fracture. We got lucky."

"I can walk around with a cane," Ji Hoo further elaborated. "For a short period, that is. The physio helps, too."

Jan Di pulled a chair and asked Ji Hoo to put his leg on top of it, to keep it elevated. "He'll be back to normal in no time."

"Anyone heard from Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung yet?" Hye Jin inquired, as she took a sip of tea. She grabbed a chocolate scone that was covered in walnuts and took a bite. An explosion of chocolate met her taste buds. She greedily eyed the other baked goods on the tray, looking for more chocolatey goodness.

Ji Hoo nodded. "Jun Pyo called last night. They're still recovering from jet lag, but they made it. He said he must have slept for two days straight."

"And unnie called me earlier complaining that Jun Pyo kept_ accidentally _spilling something on his shirt. She said it's a good thing she bought two dozen shirts for him before they left."

"That woman scares me," Woo Bin whistled. "I'm glad we only have one more day and then we'll be free of these shirts. I can finally go out in public again." He picked up a cone-shaped pastry with a chocolate cream filling and popped the whole thing in his mouth. Turning to Ji Hoo, he said, "Yi Jung called. He wants to hang out tonight."

"Seriously? Why tonight?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Take a guess."

Ji Hoo looked at his shirt and sighed. "He couldn't wait until the day after tomorrow, huh?"

"Did you not hear the part where I said 'Yi Jung'?"

Ji Hoo adjusted his sunglasses. All four of them were wearing sunglasses, mostly to save their eyes from the brightness of the shirts. They were bright enough without the sun reflecting on them. "I can't go out. Jan Di and I have plans."

"No, you don't," Woo Bin laughed.

Ji Hoo arched an eyebrow at him.

"The girls made plans tonight," Woo Bin explained.

Ji Hoo turned to Jan Di. "Plans?"

"Well, since Yi Jung called and said you guys would be out all night, I called the girls in for a sleepover."

"Wait, what? We'll be out all night? I never –"

"Whoa, you guys are bright! And I don't mean the smart kind," Yi Jung interrupted before Ji Hoo could finish his sentence.

"Are you here to gloat?" Ji Hoo asked, seeing Yi Jung approach wearing a pristine gray suit with a white button shirt underneath. He walked with his usual swagger and plopped himself on the chair beside Ji Hoo, the corner of his mouth ticked upwards in a satisfied smirk.

Ga Eul squeezed herself between the girls, and the three of them huddled excitedly in hushed voices.

"Not entirely," Yi Jung said. "Did Woo Bin tell you the plan tonight?"

"Nope." Ji Hoo tilted his head back and looked at the sky. The sun was trying its best to come through the thick, gray clouds. It didn't look like rain clouds, so Ji Hoo assumed it was smog, something they got often enough these days. "I'm not leaving the house."

"You're going to join the girls' sleepover?" Woo Bin asked. "Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea. I think I'll join too."

Yi Jung made a face. "Aw, come on. Let's hang out. We could have a mini-bachelor's party!"

"We already had a bachelor's party," Ji Hoo said, "before Jun Pyo left."

"Who says you can't have another one? Dude, you'll be in Canada for a year, at least. Won't you miss hanging out with us?"

Ji Hoo turned to look at Yi Jung, then at Woo Bin, and found both of them looking back at him. Even though they both promised to come visit, he knew he'd miss them, for sure. He turned to Jan Di. "What are you girls planning tonight, anyway?"

"Oh, you know. We'll probably order pizza. Then a movie. Then do some facials."

"All right!" Woo Bin said. "I don't even know what Yi Jung has planned but the girls' plan sounds better already! Pizza and movie? I'm in!"

"Oh, and we have a yoga instructor coming tomorrow morning to teach us yoga!" Jan Di continued.

"Really? Yoga?" Ji Hoo echoed.

Jan Di nodded. "Ga Eul figured we've been really stressed lately and need to relax. So, we decided to take yoga classes until the wedding. You know, to calm our mind and soul." She went towards him and peered closely at his face. "You know, if you're stressed, you could join our class. It's a private instructor so it will just be us."

"Ha! Ji Hoo and yoga?" Yi Jung exclaimed. "Ji Hoo's the calmest, most relaxed person you'll ever meet. Nothing fazes this guy! He doesn't need yoga! If anything, _yoga needs him_!"

"I wouldn't go _that_ far." But Ji Hoo had a huge smile on his face. It was true. He was calm by nature, yoga or no yoga. Very few things ever got him riled up. He faced Yi Jung. "And what do _you _have planned?"

"I don't have all the details worked out yet. I have some clubs lined up. We'll wing it! Maybe we'll go to a cooking class..."

Woo Bin almost choked on his tea. "Oh no, no, no. We are NOT going to a cooking class! The last time you tried to cook, you almost burned MY house down!"

"But I didn't!" Yi Jung protested.

"That's because half my men tried to put the fire out! And the fire department was called! TWICE! TWICE I'm telling you!"

"The second time wasn't necessary," Yi Jung defended, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he said so.

The girls all looked at each other in utter bewilderment.

"The fire department came to put the fire out the first time. The second time – well, Woo Bin chased Yi Jung around so Yi Jung climbed a tree and couldn't get down," Ji Hoo explained.

Ga Eul unsuccessfully suppressed a giggle. Hye Jin pretended to cough into her hand but was also quite unsuccessful.

"What did he try to cook?" Jan Di whispered.

"Water," Ji Hoo whispered back.

"Come again?"

"He was trying to boil water for ramen."

"He burned water?"

Ji Hoo laughed. "Hey, if anyone can do it, Yi Jung can."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear you two," Yi Jung glared at them. "Anyway, I have some private rooms rented out at some of the most exclusive clubs around Seoul. We have all night to decide what we want to do. Just think of how much fun we could have!"

"I'm getting a funny feeling of déjà vu here," Woo Bin remarked. "I feel like we've had this conversation before."

Yi Jung waved a hand dismissively. "Imagine this: three handsome young bachelors out for a night on the town! Just like old times, if you know what I mean," Yi Jung winked at the two boys. The girls raised their eyebrows. Jan Di put her hands on her hips, Ga Eul narrowed her eyes at Yi Jung, while Hye Jin bit her lower lip.

"We'll behave," Ji Hoo squeezed Jan Di's hand. "I promise."

Jan Di's shoulders relaxed a little. Woo Bin mouthed "Me too" at Hye Jin, and she stopped biting her lip.

"I'm not even going to ask," Ga Eul threw her hands up in the air. "Just come back alive, okay?"

"I always do," Yi Jung grinned. He turned towards Ji Hoo. "So... ready to have some fun tonight?"

"How much fun do you think I'll have hopping around with a cane?" Ji Hoo reminded his friend.

"Pfft. You'd look distinguished. Like one of those English gentlemen," Yi Jung said. "If anything, it adds to your charm."

"This couldn't wait until, oh, I don't know, two days from now?"

"Carpe diem, my friend. _Seize the day_! Who knows what will happen two days from now?"

"I do," Woo Bin raised his hand. "We get to stop wearing sunglasses all day."

Ji Hoo eyed Yi Jung warily. "You just want us to go out in these shirts, don't you?"

Yi Jung tilted his head and gave them a mischievous grin. "A bet's a bet."

Woo Bin opened his mouth to say something, but Ji Hoo held his hand up. "Fine. We'll go. On one condition."

"What is that?"

"You have to wear one, too."

...

To Yi Jung's credit, he did not look surprised by this request. In fact, he seemed to have been expecting it.

"I'd love to," he said, as he adjusted his coat, deliberately taking a long time to run his hands on the soft, gray fabric, "but I don't have one of those shirts. I won, _remember_?"

"Well, this is your lucky day," Woo Bin answered coolly. "I bought extras, just in case."

"You bought extras? Seven wasn't enough?" Yi Jung exclaimed in disbelief. All of them had bought a shirt for each day they had to wear it. They thought about washing it, of course, but found out quickly enough that the shirts were only good for one wear, as washing it wrecked the shirt. The first time Jan DI put hers in the wash, it came out in an indistinguishable mishmash of colors, even worse than it already was. Dye stuck to her skin as she took it out of the wash, and she spent a good part of the afternoon trying to scrub it out.

"I'm opportunistic," Woo Bin explained. "I was waiting for an opportunity like _this_ to come along."

"_Lucky me,_" Yi Jung mumbled. He sat down and began munching on a croissant, his lower lip sticking out.

Woo Bin laughed, picked up his phone, and ordered one of his men to bring the shirt over to Ji Hoo's.

The shirt arrived not even ten minutes later, and everyone's eyes widened as Woo Bin handed it to Yi Jung.

"Well, that was fast," Yi Jung couldn't hide the shock on his face.

"It was in the car," Woo Bin said.

"You keep extra bright shirts in your car?"

Woo Bin lifted his chin and gave Yi Jung a satisfied smirk. "As I said, opportunistic."

That evening, the boys got ready to go on their night out. Yi Jung went inside Ji Hoo's room to change and after what seemed like an eternity, came out wearing the shirt under his gray coat.

"You didn't say we could wear coats on top," Ji Hoo pointed.

"Well then, I'm saying it now. We can. Besides, it might be cold out," Yi Jung said.

Under the coat, the shirt didn't look_ that _bad, as Yi Jung's coat hid most of it. Of course, a hint of brightness peeked out once in a while, but overall, it was acceptable. Ji Hoo and Woo Bin picked almost identical black coats, except Woo Bin's had thin white pinstripes on it.

"How does my foot look?" he asked, a little self-conscious. He rarely went out looking less than perfect, and the cane and the boot were throwing off his look. His pants covered most of it, but, instead of his usual sleek black shoes, his left leg now sported a dull, black boot.

"Like a handsome young gentleman," Jan Di said, a bright gleam in her eye. "Just take it easy, okay? And keep the wheelchair handy."

"We won't be doing a lot of walking," Ji Hoo reassured her. "The car will drop us off from door to door."

The girls had already changed into their pajamas, even though they had no intention of going to bed anytime soon. Jan Di had ordered the pizza, and they were scanning Netflix for a good chick-flick to watch.

Ji Hoo stood by the door and watched as Jan Di nodded enthusiastically each time Ga Eul suggested a movie. Hye Jin was in the kitchen trying to figure out the popcorn machine.

"_13 Going on 30_?"

"Ooohh... _Ever After_!"

"Oh, wait. What about _While You Were Sleeping_?"

"_Mean Girls_!"

"_The Notebook!_"

The girls read one movie after another.

"Do we have to go out?" Ji Hoo asked Yi Jung, for what seemed like the tenth time that night.

"Do you really want to sit here and watch chick flicks all night?" Yi Jung answered as he stepped out the door and into the waiting car. Woo Bin was already inside, pouring himself something out of a glass jar. They had several drivers on call that night, as they knew they probably wouldn't be in any condition to drive. Their plan was to get dropped off and picked up at each venue.

_It may not be so bad,_ Ji Hoo thought, his eyes never leaving Jan Di's face. She caught him looking and walked up to him.

"Go," she said, smiling at him. "Spend time with sunbae Woo Bin and sunbae Yi Jung. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine."

Ji Hoo gave her a lopsided grin. "It's not you girls I'm worried about."

She laughed at him, cupped his face into her hands, and pressed her lips onto his. Her lips tasted like chocolate and strawberries, and for a moment he forgot everything but her. When she pulled away, he heaved a long, heavy sigh. "You know, if that's meant to get me to go, I'd like you to know it had the opposite effect. Now I _really_ don't want to leave."

She gave him a playful shove out the door. "Go."

As soon as the boys had left, Jan Di plopped herself on the couch. They were going to do a marathon of chick flicks, starting with While You Were Sleeping. Hye Jin sat beside her with a huge bowl of popcorn. Ga Eul had her legs tucked under her with a cozy fleece blanket covering her up to her chin.

All three of them were wearing face masks, carefully trying to shove popcorn in their mouths.

"Why don't we do this often?" Ga Eul said, as the beginning credits appeared on the tv.

Jan Di shrugged. "I guess we've been busy being adults. We definitely should do this more though."

Hye Jin nodded. "I never got to go to sleepovers when I was young. My parents were too strict." She grabbed a fistful of popcorn. "Do you think the boys will be okay?"

"Of course," Jan Di said. "They can't get into too much trouble with Ji Hoo's leg like that. I doubt they'll stay up all night like they said."

"Yi Jung would probably try," Ga Eul laughed. "I mean, he has it all planned..." She trailed off right there, a light bulb going off in her head.

All three of them exchanged worried glances, and for a few seconds, no one dared to speak.

Jan Di thought of Ji Hoo. He'd be okay, wouldn't he? They were being driven around, they'd have guards in the clubs.

"They'll be just fine," she forced a smile at the other two. "It's not like they're out in the mountains again, and Yi Jung knows his way around the city." Way better than navigating a mountain.

Ga Eul sank further in the chair. "You're right. They'll be just fine." There was an edge of doubt in her voice, though.

Hye Jin couldn't bring herself to speak, so Jan Di squeezed her hand. "I wouldn't worry. They're grown men now. And Ji Hoo said he'll text me how they're doing."

Hye Jin's face broke into a small smile. "You girls are right. How much trouble could they possibly get into in one night?"

...


	25. BONUS STORY: The Heist 2

At first, Ji Hoo was worried his boot would be an impediment to all the 'fun' they were supposed to have that night. It turned out that Yi Jung was right – no one seemed to care that he had a cane, let alone looked at his feet. Every club the three of them went to, throngs of girls swarmed around them. It was a good thing Yi Jung booked private rooms where the three of them could eat, drink, and play in peace. One of the rooms had a pool table, another a wall full of video games, and another a karaoke machine. There was even a room with a fully stocked bar, complete with a private bartender. Ji Hoo wondered why they didn't just go to their man cave, because it certainly had all these things, but Yi Jung insisted on going out. They never took their jackets off, though, so if Yi Jung had planned to parade them to all these classy places wearing the shirts, he was sorely disappointed.

A girl wearing a short red skirt and white button-up shirt entered the room. "Drinks?" she asked.

Yi Jung shook his head. "We're about to leave soon."

Ji Hoo couldn't even remember how many clubs they had been to that evening. Six? Seven? Did it matter? He and Woo Bin were engaged in a fierce battle of Mortal Kombat on one of the machines in the room. He had already lost twice.

"Boom! Three in a row for me!" Woo Bin exclaimed, giving Yi Jung a high five. Ji Hoo scooted over as Yi Jung took his place. It was fun hanging out with the boys, doing things they used to do in high school. But something was missing.

He missed Jan Di.

"Undefeated champ!" Woo Bin shouted.

"It's time to go anyway," Yi Jung said.

"Where to, next?" Ji Hoo asked as Woo Bin helped him up. He had been sitting a lot so his foot hadn't been bothering him much.

Yi Jung checked his watch. "Do you guys mind if we stop by somewhere before we go to the next club?"

Ji Hoo and Woo Bin shook their heads. The truth was, Ji Hoo was pretty clubbed out so he wouldn't mind a break from it. He had also had one too many drinks and was feeling quite light-headed. It had been so long since he had this much alcohol in his system. From the looks of them, Woo Bin and Yi Jung were both pretty tipsy, too.

The boys got into the waiting car, and, after half an hour, arrived at their destination.

The grounds were lit up – a row of light posts illuminated the driveway. The massive, two-story house itself was dark, giving the impression that no one was home. Ji Hoo wasn't paying attention outside so he had no clue where they were.

(Later on, Ji Hoo would realize that if even one of them had a clear head that night, the events that followed wouldn't have transpired the way it did. As it was, they were all feeling giddy, positive, and definitely lacked proper judgment and common sense when they went into the house.)

"Young master, should I wait for you?" the driver, an old man who has worked for Woo Bin's family for almost as long as Woo Bin has been alive, asked.

Woo Bin turned to ask Yi Jung, but Yi Jung was already walking towards the front door.

"We'll call you when we're ready to leave," Woo Bin said, and the driver nodded and then left.

"Where are your guards?" Ji Hoo asked as they walked to where Yi Jung was.

"Look around. We're in the middle of nowhere and there's no one here. I don't think anyone's going to try to kill or kidnap us here." Woo Bin swayed a little. He was starting to regret that shot of soju he swallowed before he got out of the car. "Why are we here, again?"

"I need to pick something up," Yi Jung answered. He tried the doorknob but it was locked. He turned to the two boys. "My father took one of my masterpieces and I need help picking it up. It's pretty heavy."

"And we have to do this at two in the morning?" Ji Hoo checked his watch.

"When did your father move here?" Woo Bin was examining the house. "I thought he was in a penthouse suite downtown."

"He comes here often," Yi Jung said. "Anyway, he brought my painting here."

"You paint?" Woo Bin seemed shocked. "Since when?"

"I tried it a few months ago. Turns out, I have a talent for it, too." Yi Jung tried the knob again. He picked up the floor mat and looked under it. No key. "I made this gigantic painting that my father took. I want it back."

"You _do_ have a key to this place, don't you?" Woo Bin said, an eyebrow raised.

Yi Jung made a face. "I forgot."

"Why did we come here if you forgot your key?" Ji Hoo asked.

Yi Jung grinned, then pointed his chin at Woo Bin. "Because we have him. He can open this door."

Woo Bin looked slightly offended. "Seriously guys, what do you think I am, some kind of criminal?"

"Can you open it or not?" Yi Jung dared.

Woo Bin hesitated for a brief second, then blew out a breath. "Just give me a sec." He pulled out something long and thin from his pocket and then began fiddling with the lock.

"So, you just carry that with you as what? Toothpick?" Yi Jung teased.

"Shut up," Woo Bin snapped.

In less than two minutes, the lock clicked and the door swung open.

"All right!" Yi Jung said. "I knew I could count on you."

"You owe me," Woo Bin said, turning the light on as he stepped inside.

"Whoa," Ji Hoo gave a low, long whistle. "Nice house."

The three of them stood by the entrance admiring the house. The foyer was huge – two white columns greeted them at the entrance, marble floors seemed to go on and on, and paintings lined the wall as far as their eyes could see.

"It's hot in here," Yi Jung said, taking his jacket off. He placed it on top of the table beside the front door.

Ji Hoo nodded, as he also took off his coat. He knew that art collectors needed to maintain a certain level of temperature and humidity to ensure their collection didn't get damaged. Woo Bin followed suit, putting his on top of the other two. Now they were walking around the house with just their bright shirts and pants, but Ji Hoo didn't mind. No one seemed to be home and they would be out of there as soon as they picked up Yi Jung's painting.

They spent some time looking at each painting, Yi Jung and Ji Hoo discussing the style, elements, and techniques used by each artist while Woo Bin listened attentively.

"Well, which one's yours?" Woo Bin asked, looking from one painting to the next. He came across a painting of a young man sitting on a chair, back erect, wearing a formal tuxedo. The young man had a sly smile on his face, as if he alone knew a secret no one else did. "This guy looks familiar..."

Yi Jung cast a glance around. "Mine's not here. It must be in one of the rooms upstairs." He ran up the stairs and Ji Hoo could hear doors opening and closing. He must be checking each room.

"Where have I seen this guy before?" Woo Bin muttered, as Ji Hoo went to stand beside him.

Ji Hoo furrowed his brows. "He _does _look familiar."

There were several paintings of the same guy in different poses. In all of them, he looked strict, poised, and dignified. If Ji Hoo didn't know that they were at Yi Jung's father's house, he would have thought the guy in the painting was the owner, or at least the owner's son.

"Come on, we have to hurry," Yi Jung called from upstairs.

Woo Bin cast a worried glance at Ji Hoo. "You need help going upstairs?"

Ji Hoo considered it for a brief moment. The long, winding staircase looked more trouble than it was worth. "Maybe I should just wait for you guys here."

"There's an elevator to your left," Yi Jung pointed out. "Go take that and get up here."

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo went to the elevator. "Fancy house," Woo Bin observed. The man in the painting was still bothering him, though. He racked his mind trying to remember where he saw him before.

Yi Jung was waiting for them in front of the bedroom door at the end of the long hallway. "I think it's in here," he said, as he went in.

As soon as all three of them were in, the door closed with a resounding click. Woo Bin and Ji Hoo exchanged puzzled glances, as Yi Jung rattled the knob in vain.

"It's locked," Yi Jung said.

"No kidding," Ji Hoo said sarcastically.

"What?" Woo Bin tried the handle. He took out his pin and tried to unlock the door. "Hmm. I can't seem to open this."

"Yi Jung, why did it lock? How are -" Ji Hoo began.

"Here it is!" Yi Jung exclaimed, as he walked towards a painting leaning against the wall.

The frame measured at least 6 feet tall by 5 feet wide and depicted a beautiful portrait of the ocean as it bashed against the shore. A girl was wearing a hat at the edge of the shore, staring longingly at the water, her long dark hair swaying in the breeze.

"I take it that's supposed to be Ga Eul?" Ji Hoo observed.

Yi Jung gave him a small smile. "Yeah. I was going to give it to her for her birthday."

Ji Hoo placed a hand on his shoulder. "She'll love it."

"Um, guys. I hate to interrupt the moment, but the door's still locked," Woo Bin said. "I tried to -"

Suddenly, an alarm started going off somewhere in the house, loud and shrill and deafening. The boys covered their ears with their hands, desperately trying to drown the sound of the alarm.

"WHY IS THE ALARM GOING OFF?" Woo Bin shouted.

Yi Jung's eyes widened, and then he grabbed the painting. "UMM...WE SHOULD GO. THE COPS MIGHT BE HERE SOON. WOO BIN, HELP ME CARRY THIS."

"WAIT...WHAT? WHY WOULD THERE BE COPS? I THOUGHT YOU SAID THIS WAS YOURS!" Ji Hoo yelled.

Yi Jung grimaced. "I may have lied _a little,_" he mumbled, not meeting their eyes.

Ji Hoo understood him loud and clear even though he didn't say it out loud. "_A little?_ The alarm is blaring loud enough to wake all of Seoul!" His usually composed demeanor was on the verge of cracking. "Why didn't the alarm go off before?" The three of them were huddled so closely they could read each other's lips.

"How should I know?" Yi Jung said.

"Call your father," Ji Hoo ordered. "Tell him to turn the alarm off."

"Well," Yi Jung scratched his head, "this isn't really my father's house."

"WHAT?"

"This painting WAS mine. My father said he had a client who would love it. We agreed on a price, but then I changed my mind and decided to give it to Ga Eul. I asked my father where it was and he told me. I told him I want it back."

"And?"

"He told me, 'if you want it, go and get it yourself.' So I did."

"Why didn't you tell us this _before_ we broke into this house?" Woo Bin said.

"Would you have helped me if I did?"

"That's beside the point! Now we're your accomplice!"

"Guys, this isn't helping," Ji Hoo scolded. "We need to find a way out."

"The driver! We can signal him from the window!" Yi Jung exclaimed as he opened the window and peered outside. There was no car to be found. "Where is he?"

"I told him we'll call him when we're ready to leave," Woo Bin said.

"Oh, we're definitely ready to leave. Like, right now!" Yi Jung said.

"And what do you want him to do when he gets here? Break down the door?" asked Woo Bin.

Their driver was a 70-year-old man who couldn't hurt a fly, much less charge through a door. He'd be patiently waiting for them in the car.

Ji Hoo turned to Woo Bin. "Go call your men. Tell them to rescue us."

Woo Bin gave him a sheepish grin. "I'd rather not let my mother know I broke into someone's home and tried to steal something."

"What? Why?"

"Let's just say if there's one crime she doesn't approve of, it's breaking and entering."

"Perfect. That's just perfect," Ji Hoo whirled at Yi Jung. "You HAD to pick the one crime his mother doesn't approve of!"

Yi Jung merely shrugged in response, walked over to the only window in the room, unlatched it, and pushed it open. He peered over and gauged their distance to the ground. "If we had a rope, we can get out the window."

"Well, good thing we have no rope then," Ji Hoo said. "I don't know if you guys remember, but my foot is broken!"

"We'll get you out," Yi Jung reassured him.

"How?"

"Woo Bin and I will go down first, and then you can jump and we'll catch you!"

"Oh sure, let me do that. IF I want to break every bone in my body!"

"If you don't trust me, trust Woo Bin. He'll catch you."

Woo Bin hesitated for a brief second before he nodded, giving Ji Hoo no reassurance whatsoever.

Yi Jung's eyes darted around the room's contents. "I think we can make a rope long enough to reach the ground."

"What are we going to make rope with? There's nothing in this room but paintings!" Woo Bin beckoned Ji Hoo to come closer. "Ji Hoo, give me your cane."

"How is a cane supposed to help us out?" Yi Jung asked.

"It's not," Woo Bin answered. "I just want to hit you with it!"

"Hey, hey," Ji Hoo intervened. "We need to focus."

Yi Jung's shoulders relaxed. "That's right. You tell him, Ji Hoo. Violence is never the answer."

"We can hit him _later_," Ji Hoo went on, "AFTER we get out of here."

Woo Bin grinned and handed Ji Hoo back his cane, while Yi Jung blurted out protests.

A few precious seconds ticked by. The alarm made it hard to think (the liquor in their system did not help, either).

Yi Jung snapped his fingers. "Our clothes! If we took off our pants and tied them together..."

Ji Hoo looked absolutely mortified. "ARE YOU NUTS? Have you gone absolutely insane?"

"Would you rather go to jail?"

"We could always bail ourselves out."

"Yeah, but you'd have a criminal record. Do you think the guy who owns this place will drop charges on us? We handed him a red card when he was at Shinhwa!"

So that's where they recognized the guy in the painting from.

"That was Jun Pyo! I had nothing to do with that! I'm innocent," Ji Hoo said, though he wasn't convinced himself.

The alarm suddenly stopped. The three of them looked at each other, relief mixed with fear plastered on their faces.

"Hey, the alarm's gone!" Yi Jung exclaimed.

"That's bad. That's very bad." Woo Bin pressed his ear against the door.

Outside, they heard the sound of footsteps.

"Someone's coming!"

Panic started to set in. Beads of sweat formed in their foreheads.

"Hurry!" Yi Jung undressed and was down to wearing his bright orange shirt and boxers. "Here, let me help take off your pants."

"Well, that's something I never thought I'd hear him say to you," Woo Bin said. He was also in his shirt and boxers and was tying the pants together.

"If this ever gets out of this room, I'll...I'll...disown you guys!" Ji Hoo threatened. He pinched the bridge of his nose. His head throbbed. Reluctantly, he sat on one of the chairs, carefully took off his boot and hurriedly took off his pants, cringing as he handed it to Woo Bin, who added it to their 'rope'.

"Are you sure this will hold?" He looked at their makeshift rope uncertainly. It certainly looked long enough to reach close to the bottom. But was it strong enough?

"Of course it will hold. These clothes are made of the best quality money could buy," Yi Jung said. He went over to the only piece of furniture in the room – a mahogany desk that stood in the corner. Together, he and Woo Bin pushed it as close to the window as possible. He tied one end of the 'rope' onto a leg and dropped the other end out the window.

The footsteps got louder.

"I'll go first," Yi Jung said. He held onto the 'rope' and looked out the window. Then he stepped up onto the window ledge, took a deep breath, and tugged hard at the rope, ready to descend.

And that was when the leg came flying off the desk.

Yi Jung looked like he was floating as he tumbled towards the ground. Fortunately, Woo Bin's reflexes were fast, and he was able to grab Yi Jung's leg before he plunged downwards, headfirst.

"Gotcha!" Woo Bin said, groaning as he pulled Yi Jung back into the room.

Ji Hoo looked down and saw their escape plan lying crumpled on the ground, a desk leg attached.

"Most expensive rope ever. At least it held. I can't say the same for the desk, though," Yi Jung muttered.

"That's it," Woo Bin said. "I'm calling my men. I've had enough. I don't care what my mother thinks."

"You couldn't have done that _before_ I almost plunged to my death?" Yi Jung said.

"My phone!" Woo Bin's eyes went wide with horror as he looked out the window. "I left it in my pocket!"

Ji Hoo remembered where his phone was – safely tucked inside his coat pocket, near the front door. "So did I."

They both looked at Yi Jung, whose face extinguished any flame of hope left in them.

"Great. This is just great! Why didn't you remember to hold on to your phone?"

"I don't know, why didn't _you _remember _your_ phone? I was trying to think of ways to get out of here!"

"Well _sorry_, if I knew we'd be committing a crime tonight, I'd have glued the phone to my ear!" Woo Bin's face was beet red.

"Stop arguing, you two," Ji Hoo said. "We need a plan. Fast!"

He could hear police sirens outside. Whoever owned the footsteps they heard earlier seemed to have called the cops. Either that or the blaring alarm did. Not that it mattered, they knew they were out of time.

"We need to hide." Yi Jung whipped his head frantically around, eyes searching for somewhere to hide.

"How are we going to hide? We're wearing the brightest shirts on earth!" Woo Bin didn't even try to hide the panic in his voice.

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that," Yi Jung said.

"HOW COULD YOU FORGET THAT? WE'RE LIKE A BEACON FROM EARTH TO MARS!"

"Could you scream any louder? I don't think China and Japan heard us," Yi Jung scolded Woo Bin. He paused for a few seconds, seeming to be deep in thought. "Okay, here's the plan. If we get caught, you're deaf, Ji Hoo's blind, and I don't speak Korean."

"WHAT? How does that help us?"

"I don't know. I just always wanted to say that."

Woo Bin looked ready to strangle Yi Jung. Ji Hoo took a deep breath and tried to assess the situation. Maybe, just maybe, they could get out of this without going to jail. Not that they wouldn't be able to get out of jail. They sure had enough money to bail themselves out. He imagined calling Jan Di from his jail cell and a knot formed in his stomach.

Nope. He'd prefer not to go to jail. Especially for stealing. _Most especially_ for stealing for Yi Jung.

"Let's make a human rope," Yi Jung suggested. "Woo Bin can hold on to my leg and Ji Hoo can try and climb out."

"Wonderful. That sounds like a worse idea than the last one we tried."

"May I remind you guys that we're all half naked? Plus it will take forever for me to climb out," Ji Hoo said. His hair was frazzled and the breeze coming from the open window made him shiver a little. He was thankful they at least had the sense to keep their shirts on.

"Okay, okay, here's the thing," Yi Jung began, his eyes alight with excitement. "Quick Ji Hoo, jump on Woo Bin's back!"

"Why don't _you_ jump on Woo Bin's back!" Ji Hoo protested.

"You can't run so you have to do it," Yi Jung explained.

Woo Bin crossed his arms as he watched the exchange between the other two. "Do I get a say as to who gets to jump on MY back?"

"Look," Yi Jung said, "if you guys want to get out of here, you'll do as I say."

"Because that worked SO well for us last time!" Woo Bin exclaimed.

"Just do it! Quick!" Yi Jung's urgent voice had Ji Hoo climbing onto Woo Bin's back.

"Now what?" Ji Hoo said, feeling quite awkward. His arms were locked around Woo Bin's neck. Woo Bin held onto his legs.

"Woo Bin, face the door."

Woo Bin did as he was told. Yi Jung continued. "When that door opens get ready to run," Yi Jung said, calmly. "Run fast, Woo Bin. Don't look back." His face was a mask of concentration. He looked like he was ready to sprint.

"What are you suggesting? I run out and tackle the cops?" Woo Bin exclaimed in horror. "Because that's a terrible idea! No, that's not just terrible. That's insane! And I've heard a lot of insanely terrible ideas the last half hour alone!"

"Why do we keep listening to this guy?" Ji Hoo mumbled.

"Well, I'm out of ideas," Yi Jung said, as he collapsed on the nearest chair.

"I can probably jump," Woo Bin said, eyeing the distance from the window to the ground. "Just let me down as low as you can, and then let go and I'll try to land without breaking my leg. Then I'll grab my phone and call for back up."

Ji Hoo was about to contradict, but he was getting desperate. He and Yi Jung braced themselves as they slowly lowered Woo Bin. His entire leg throbbed with a dull ache, but he bit his lips and pressed himself hard against the window. Woo Bin was heavy, and they both grunted at the effort to hold on to him.

"Almost there," Woo Bin whispered. "Just a little lower. When I say let go, let go, okay? I just -"

The door burst open and flashlights shone on their faces, blinding them.

"PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR AND DON'T MOVE! DON'T MOVE!"

...


	26. BONUS STORY: The Heist 3

Woo Bin froze just as he was about to let go.

_Cops. Uh oh. Should I go for it anyway?_

He looked up to see Yi Jung and Ji Hoo's horror-stricken faces.

_No. I shouldn't._

He couldn't leave the other two to deal with the cops.

A movement by the trees caught his attention. He strained his eyes to see, but it was too dark to be sure.

_Is someone out there?_

The bushes by the house rustled and he could see a figure crouched behind it.

_There you are. Were you watching us the whole time?_

The shadow darted in and out of the darkness, too fast for Woo Bin to get a good look.

"Hey!" he called out, but the shadow was gone, and the trees and bushes were still once more.

_That's odd. What did __he..._

His eyes widened when he scanned the ground.

Their makeshift rope was gone!

Their wallets. Their phone. Their pants. All gone.

"Hey! Give that back!" he shouted, but his words landed on thin air.

_That thief! _he fumed._ When I get my hands on that thief, he'll be sorry!_

He decided right then that he would let go. He'd go after the thief.

But Yi Jung and Ji Hoo's hold on him had tightened, and he found himself being pulled up against his will.

...

* * *

...

Ji Hoo almost let go of Woo Bin's hand. He squinted at the lights, his body buzzing with fear.

_I'm going to jail, _he thought. _I can't believe I'm going to jail. _

_What would Grandfather say? Would he be angry? Upset? Disappointed?_

_Gasp! What would Jan Di say? Would she want to marry a criminal?_

If he could have jumped out the window right at that moment, he would have done it. Not that it would have done him any good.

"I SAID PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR OR I'LL SHOOT!"

The voice was firm. Authoritative. Angry. Ji Hoo swallowed hard. He couldn't speak. All he could do was slowly shake his head. Yi Jung's eyes were wide with terror.

A gun. A gun was pointed right at them.

_I'm going to get shot, too. Oh my gosh. Jan Di's going to be a widow before we get married. _

Ji Hoo tried desperately to calm the wildly erratic drumming of his heart.

_Don't panic. You're a calm person. Calm down. Calm down, Ji Hoo. _

He took a deep breath in, looked at Woo Bin, (who seemed to be focused at something below him), then at the blinding light. "W-we can't," he choked out. His voice shook. "Look officer...we'd love to, but you see, our friend is out this window and if we put our hands up in the air he'll fall."

The light came closer. Ji Hoo's vision swam with dark shadows. Someone darted to the left side.

"Pull him in," the voice ordered.

Together, he and Yi Jung slowly pulled Woo Bin back inside. Woo Bin seemed heavier than normal. It was as if he was resisting them. No, that wouldn't make sense. Why wouldn't Woo Bin want to come in?

They barely had time to exhale when a figure grabbed each of them and before they knew it, they found themselves kneeling on the floor, hands handcuffed behind them. Ji Hoo bit his lip at the pain lancing through his leg, his eyes shedding tears of agony.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and WILL be used against you." Another voice, this one a little softer, recited.

When his vision was able to focus again, Ji Hoo saw that there were only two officers standing in front of them. One was tall, his clean-shaven head visible under the standard black cap he wore. He was burly and broad shouldered, and his face showed he meant business. His eyebrows were so thick and so close together he reminded Ji Hoo of Oscar the Grouch. He did look grouchy, though. This was not a guy they could joke around with.

The other officer was short, with a head full of hair under his black cap, and a crooked grin on his face. He looked amused at what he was seeing, like someone who couldn't decide whether to laugh or arrest them.

"You guys part of some gang?" the short officer asked, as he paced in front of them. He paused in front of Woo Bin. "What's the name of your gang?"

Woo Bin glared daggers at Yi Jung. "The when-are-we-ever-going-to-learn-our-lesson-and-not-listen-to-Yi-Jung Gang."

The officer scratched his chin, seeming to consider this. "That's a pretty long name for a gang. You guys may want to shorten it. Hmm. How about...The Yi Jung Gang?"

Woo Bin's shoulders slumped. Ji Hoo couldn't believe his ears.

"Hey, I like it," Yi Jung grinned. "It's got a certain... OW!"

Woo Bin had elbowed him right in the ribs. Yi Jung frowned and stuck his lower lip out.

Ji Hoo was sure he was dreaming. After all, things like this did NOT happen to them, did they? It must all be a dream. He was probably home in his warm, cozy bed resting comfortably. Any minute now he would wake up...

Officer Tall grabbed his chin and lifted his head so they were looking at each other eye to eye.

"You!" The officer barked. His breath smelled like he swallowed a gallon of Listerine. "You look out of it. What's the matter with you?"

_Any minute now, I'll wake up. I'm sure of it,_ Ji Hoo repeated to himself.

Officer Tall poked him with the end of his black, steel-toed boot. "Are you purposely ignoring me?"

Ji Hoo weakly shook his head. Why wasn't he awake yet?

The officer leaned closer and sniffed. "Are you guys drunk?"

"We _were _but we're sobering up real fast now," Yi Jung said, trying to smile at the officers. "Tonight is actually _his_ bachelor's party." Yi Jung pointed his lips at Ji Hoo.

Officer Tall crossed his arms in front of his chest. He did not smile back. "What kind of bachelor's party breaks into someone's private property?"

Ji Hoo glared accusingly at Yi Jung. "Apparently _this one_," he hissed.

"What's up with their uniforms?" Officer Short asked.

Officer Tall snorted. "These are the worst gang uniforms I've ever seen. Shirts_ and_ boxers, huh? You guys even _glow_ in the dark." The officer leaned forward and lowered his voice. "You know you guys are supposed to _blend in _with the night, not stand out from it, right? I mean, if these walls were any thinner, we'd probably be able to see you right _through_ it." He peered closely at each of their faces. "You're the best-looking group of thieves I've ever seen, though. Tsk. Tsk. What a waste. With faces like that you guys could have been anything, instead you had to choose a life of crime."

Ji Hoo wanted to bang his head against the wall, but it was too far from him. He was so tired. The cuffs were digging into his wrist. His leg was sending bolts of pain throughout his body.

He thought of Jan Di. What would she say? Would she think less of him now? Maybe even refuse to marry him?

"There's been a misunderstanding," he tried to explain. "We're not thieves. I'm actually a doctor at the hospital. We were just here to grab my friend's painting."

"Oh sure. And we're just here for tea and cookies." Officer Tall crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Why were you trying to escape if you're not guilty?"

Ji Hoo sighed. _Because we're idiots_, he wanted to say. "We panicked."

What could he say to make the officers believe them? They needed proof.

Their wallets! Their identities!

"We have proof," Ji Hoo said, as he pointed out the window. "Our wallets and phones are in our pants. It's outside. On the grass."

Even as he said it, he knew it sounded ridiculous. But it was the truth. And the truth should set them free, shouldn't it?

Officer Short snickered. "Oh,_ that's_ where your pants are. What's it doing outside?"

"It fell," Ji Hoo said simply. He didn't want to elaborate.

"Um guys," Woo Bin began, slowly shaking his head. "Actually..."

"Yes! He's right," Yi Jung chimed in enthusiastically. "We're telling the truth. Look outside. You'll see. We're actually really rich! We're heirs. We don't need to steal." He puffed up his chest a little. "You guys might be a little embarrassed you didn't believe us when you find out who we are."

Officer Short looked out the window. He turned to face the boys, his face devoid of emotion. "You guys think you're funny, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Ji Hoo asked, confused.

"Someone stole them," Woo Bin answered. "I saw someone grab them and disappear."

Officer Tall clicked his tongue several times. "How convenient."

"It was really there," Yi Jung tried explaining but they had lost all credibility to the officers.

"That's it," Officer Tall said, hauling each of them up. "We're bringing you boys in."

"What? But we're not criminals!" the boys protested.

"Right. Should we list the crimes you committed?" Officer Tall took something out from his pocket. Ji Hoo saw it was a pen and a black notepad. "Breaking and entering," the officer listed. "Drunk and disorderly conduct," he raised an eyebrow at them.

"What drunk and disorderly conduct?" Woo Bin asked.

"You guys are disturbing the peace," the officer answered.

"Peace? There's no one around for miles!" Ji Hoo exclaimed.

"Arguing with an officer," the officer wrote. Ji Hoo did not know that was a crime.

Officer Tall's eyes went to the mahogany table, which was now missing one leg. "Destruction of property," he scribbled. "_Expensive_ property," he intonated.

"_That's not real mahogany_," Yi Jung muttered to himself.

He looked at what the boys were wearing and raised an eyebrow. "Indecent exposure to the public," he muttered, his pen working feverishly to jot it down.

"Um," Yi Jung raised a finger to interrupt, but a glare from both Ji Hoo and Woo Bin silenced him right then.

"I don't think anything we say is going to help us right now," Woo Bin advised.

"I'd listen to him if I were you," Officer Short urged.

"Let's go."

…

A very long, uncomfortable, and embarrassing car ride later, the boys found themselves inside the police station. Passersby gawked at the three handsome young men wearing nothing but super bright shirts and boxers. Ji Hoo tried to save whatever dignity he had by trying to walk straight and not limp, and he was thankful there were only a few steps to get inside, but he knew he was going too slow. Someone prodded him behind.

"Hey, go easy on him," Woo Bin gritted his teeth. "His foot is broken."

As soon as they got inside, the boys were ushered to a gray, nondescript room, containing of only a desk and several chairs. There was no one else in the room.

"How are you doing?" Yi Jung asked, his eyes on Ji Hoo's foot. "I'm sorry," he said, seeming genuinely apologetic.

After a few minutes the door opened and Officer Tall plopped himself on the chair opposite them, looking grimmer than usual. He had taken off his hat and placed it on the brown table between them.

"Let's get to know each other, shall we?" Officer Tall leaned forward and clasped his hands together. He grinned at them, but it's the scary sort of grin that made Ji Hoo's skin crawl.

Officer Tall eyed Woo Bin first. "Name?"

"Song. Woo. Bin." Woo Bin enunciated each word. He stared at the officer's face to see if his name sparked recognition.

No such luck.

Officer Tall turned to Ji Hoo.

"Name?" The officer asked Ji Hoo.

Ji Hoo hung his head. "Yoon Ji Hoo," he said, quietly.

"_Doctor_ Yoon Ji Hoo," Yi Jung added, but the officer neither seemed to notice nor care.

"Name?" The officer moved on to Yi Jung.

"So Yi Jung," Yi Jung replied. "You should look us up."

This time, the officer paused and looked at Yi Jung.

"Maybe I will," he said, his face dead serious.

Officer Tall stepped out of the room for what felt like hours. He came back with a smirk.

"Did you find out anything interesting?" Woo Bin raised an eyebrow.

Officer Tall leaned back and crossed his arms. "You boys think just because you're rich that you're above the law, don't you?"

"We're telling the truth," Ji Hoo tried again. "We weren't stealing anything. It's _his _painting."

"We'll see about that," was the officer's reply. "We're contacting the owner of the house to see if he knows you guys."

_Great. Just great. Could this night get any worse? _Ji Hoo thought glumly.

Officer Tall seemed to have noticed Ji Hoo's face. "Hey, you rich boys should know each other, right? "

_That's what I'm afraid of,_ Ji Hoo thought.

"Some days I wish we didn't," Woo Bin said under his breath.

...

The door opened again and a young man around their age stepped in.

"Ah, there you are," Officer Tall said. "Take these boys for processing, will you?"

The young officer gave a small nod, and then ushered them out of the room.

"Where are we going?" Yi Jung asked, apprehension evident in his voice.

A small smile appeared on the officer's face. "Pictures." He gestured to a wall that had a camera pointed at it.

"It's just like in the movies," Yi Jung said, in awe.

"Except I wish we weren't in this one," Ji Hoo grumbled.

"This won't take long," the officer said. "My name is Officer Wu, by the way."

The three of them lined up to get their mug shots taken.

"Look on the bright side, Yi Jung. Instead of giving Ga Eul a painting, you get to give her your mug shot," Ji Hoo said, sarcastically.

"How is that the bright side?"

"You can always make another painting. But how many times is she going to get a_ mug shot_ of yours?" He was teasing Yi Jung and he knew it, but he didn't care.

"Your sense of humor is twisted, Ji Hoo," Yi Jung said, as he shook his head. "But you have a point."

Ji Hoo's eyes widened as he stared back at his friend. _Is he serious right now?_

Woo Bin's picture was taken first, then Ji Hoo's, and last, but not least, Yi Jung.

"Wait!" Yi Jung called out to Officer Wu. "Can I see that picture?"

Officer Wu looked puzzled but turned his camera for Yi Jung to see.

"Can you take another one?"

"Huh?"

"I'm going to give it to my girlfriend, and this one isn't a very good picture of me," Yi Jung said. "Can I have a retake?"

"You want to _retake_ your mug shot?" Officer Wu asked, still unable to comprehend what he was hearing.

"Yes, and can you email that to me?" Yi Jung said. "I'd pay you, but that might be considered a bribe."

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo stared open-mouthed at Yi Jung.

"Hey, Ji Hoo's right. This would be a once-in-a-lifetime gift for Ga Eul," Yi Jung explained. "This may be better than the painting."

"How are we even friends?" Woo Bin finally found his voice.

"Just lucky, I guess," Yi Jung shrugged, as the officer got ready to take another picture of him.

When they were done, they were taken to a holding cell at the back of the police station. Officer Wu took out their cuffs, and Ji Hoo rubbed his wrists, relieved to be free. The three of them sat on the small cold metal bench side by side, wishing they had more clothes on. Ji Hoo could hear Yi Jung's teeth chattering.

"Don't we get a phone call?" Yi Jung said.

"You watch too many Hollywood movies," Woo Bin sighed. "We don't have a right to a phone call in Korea."

"Well _sorry_. I've never been in jail," Yi Jung said.

"Neither have I," Woo Bin said. "I just know these things. We can ask the officer to call someone for us, though." He cast a sweeping glance around. Not a soul in sight outside their cell. The officers must be in the adjacent room. "Unfortunately, no one's around right now."

Ji Hoo just stared at the ground.

"How's your foot?" Yi Jung asked him.

"My foot is doing way better than the rest of me," Ji Hoo answered. "Who are we going to call?"

"Someone who'll get us out of this mess," Woo Bin said.

All three of them sighed and leaned on the wall behind them. They tilted their heads back and closed their eyes as weariness took over.

"Just so you know, this is the worst bachelor's party I've ever been to," Woo Bin said out loud.

"Me too," Ji Hoo agreed.

"I can't even argue with you on that," Yi Jung's voice was faint as a whisper.

Ji Hoo wondered what the girls were doing that moment. They were probably fast asleep.

On that warm, comfy bed.

In his warm, cozy house.

"I miss Jan Di," Ji Hoo said, after a few minutes of silence.

"I miss Hye Jin," Woo Bin said.

Yi Jung sighed. "I miss my pants."

The other two opened their eyes to look at him.

"It's cold in here," Yi Jung explained, as he wrapped his arms around himself. "I miss Ga Eul but I know she's okay. Right now, I'd like my pants back." He scooted closer to Ji Hoo, who was sitting in the middle.

"What are you doing?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Trying to keep warm," Yi Jung explained. "And don't tell me you're not cold. I can hear your knees knocking."

"We should ask them for a blanket," Yi Jung suggested.

"Sure, while you're at it, ask them for room service too," Woo Bin snorted.

…

Ji Hoo woke up to the sound of a cell door opening.

Officer Tall and Officer Short stood in front of them, quietly observing them.

He nudged the other two awake.

"You guys are free to go." Officer Tall had a lopsided grin on his face. It was the first time Ji Hoo ever saw him attempt a smile.

"Here you go. These were turned in earlier," Officer Short handed them their clothes in neatly folded piles.

The boys inspected their clothes. Their wallets and phones were there. Even Ji Hoo's coat was there. Nothing was missing.

"But how -" Yi Jung began.

"The security guard at the house took your clothes so you wouldn't get away. The homeowner decided to drop the charges after seeing the surveillance video, though. He said that was enough punishment for you guys," Officer Short explained. "You really made his day. I've never heard anyone laugh that much."

"Gee, thanks. I think," Woo Bin said, unsure whether to feel delighted or insulted.

"And your father called to explain," Officer Short added, nodding at Yi Jung. "Just don't go breaking into houses again."

"We won't," the boys promised.

Officer Tall narrowed his eyes at them. "You boys stay out of trouble. I'll be keeping an eye on you."  
And with that he left.

They quickly got dressed and headed out the door. Ji Hoo didn't bother putting his boot back on. He just wanted to get home. Woo Bin called his driver to pick them up.

"Wait!" a voice called out just as they were about to step outside.

Officer Wu ran up to them and handed Yi Jung a small envelope.

"Your picture," he said. "I saved it on to a stick."

Yi Jung's face broke into a smile. "Thanks! My girlfriend will be thrilled to see this."

"Thrilled isn't what I'd use," Woo Bin said, shaking his head.

"Hey, do you guys want yours, too? I'm sure we could ask them to -"

"NO!" Both Woo Bin and Ji Hoo replied. The last thing Ji Hoo wanted was proof that he was there.

A sleek black car pulled up in front of them. All three boys gave a huge sigh of relief as they stepped inside.

"Where to, young master?" The old man asked. He never asked them why he was picking them up from the police station.

"Home," Ji Hoo answered. "Just please take us home."

...

* * *

...

Jan Di was surprised to find Ji Hoo, Woo Bin, and Yi Jung sitting on the couch (with ice packs on top of their heads) when she woke up that morning.

"Wow, I didn't think you guys would actually pull an all-nighter," Jan Di said. "Did you have fun?"

The boys just groaned in response.

_They must be really tired, _Jan Di thought. She noticed their clothes were all wrinkled and dirty. _Must have been some night._

Ga Eul came from the kitchen carrying a pot of coffee, which she poured out in individual mugs for the boys. She set it on the coffee table in front of them, but none of them moved. They seemed frozen in place.

She looked at Ga Eul questioningly, but only got a shoulder shrug in response.

Hye Jin appeared right then and pulled the girls aside.

"_I think the boys had a really wild night_," she whispered to the other two.

All three of them turned to look at the boys again. They were already passed out.

"_What makes you say that?_" Jan Di whispered back.

"_Woo Bin called me earlier mumbling about them walking around half naked in Seoul._"

Ga Eul gave an involuntary gasp and Jan Di's jaw dropped open.

_Those three? Half-naked? _Did she hear her correctly? Weren't they cold? What were they doing?

She had so many questions to ask Ji Hoo, but he looked absolutely exhausted. She knew whatever it was, there was a good explanation for it.

"_Yi Jung messaged me early this morning, too,_" Ga Eul whispered. "_He was all excited about having found an amazing birthday present for me. He said I would lose my mind!_"

"_Ooooh__,_" Hye Jin's eyes lit up. "_That sounds so romantic. Maybe he got you a car?_"

"_Or a trip around the world!"_ Jan Di gushed. Ga Eul was one lucky girl.

Ga Eul's lips twisted to the side. "_I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but he kept insisting it was one-of-a-kind. Now I just want to wake him up and ask him!_"

She glanced at Yi Jung, but he was somewhere in la-la land, snoring quietly on the couch.

"Pants," Yi Jung muttered in his sleep.

Ga Eul's eyes widened. _"Did he just say 'pants'?_" she whispered. "_That better not be a code name for a girl he met tonight._"

_We should probably leave them alone to rest_, Jan Di mouthed to Ga Eul and Hye Jin. _We can ask them when they wake up._ The girls nodded and quietly turned to go back to their room. All three of them shared the guest room for their sleepover.

Jan Di was about to close the door when she heard Ji Hoo's faint voice call out.

"Did you say something?" she asked.

Ji Hoo removed the ice pack on his head and forced a smile. He opened his eyes but could only manage it half way. Jan Di could see the bags under his eyes and the strain of the evening on his face. His always-impeccable hair was mussed up and she just noticed his boot was missing.

"Where's your boot?" She knelt in front of him and checked his foot. Thankfully, it wasn't swollen. She looked at the other two boys but they were still sound asleep.

Ji Hoo pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms around him. She started stroking his head and saw the lines on his forehead disappear. She felt him relax as he seemed to melt into her arms. They held each other like that for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"Jan Di?" he managed to croak out.

"Yes?" Did he need anything? Was he in pain? Should she take him to the hospital?

"I changed my mind. What time does yoga start again?"

…

* * *

*Author's note:

I hope you liked this bonus story. Ha ha ha! This was so much fun to write. Bonus Stories always are, for me. I'm really, really sorry this took so long to update. Some big life changes happened to me these last few months so that took over most of my free time.

Thank you to all the folks who have read it and taken the time to review! I treasure each and every note from you guys. Thank you for your continued support. Thank you to my regulars, and to my guest reviewers.

If you liked this, please leave a review! It is very much appreciated! 😊 If you didn't, thank you for reading it anyway!

Either way, I hope you have a fabulous day!

I'm off to write the next one!

Fighting!

~cutestuff024~


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